Obama close to making decision on next steps for Afghanistan
15 Oct 2009, 1646 Hrs

Add comment          Mail          Print          Write to Editor

Washington, Oct.15 After five intense meetings on his war-fighting strategy in Afghanistan, US President Barack Obama is assessing all the options and is now "in the decision-making phase," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told Fox News.

"We have finished at the broad landscape level. We are in the decision-making phase now," Gibbs said, adding that a decision is far from imminent-possible even "several weeks" away.

Obama will have at least one more Afghanistan meeting next week, by which time there may be a decision on whether to hold a runoff election between Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and his chief challenger.

Though some administration officials and Obama advisers differ on whether a narrower counter-terror-style approach or a broader counterinsurgency mission is the better approach to the Afghanistan war, all seem to agree that increasing non-military efforts to improve Afghanistan's agricultural industry and economy, rule of law and governing institutions is key to any success.

"The meetings that go now will flow to the decision-making phase," Gibbs said. "All the discussions so far will impact the ultimate decisions," Gibbs said.

Gibbs said he had no idea what Obama will decide on future U.S. troop levels, though he repeated his assessment from Wednesday's press briefing that troop levels will not be cut and the main decision looming is by how much to increase the U.S. combat footprint.

Wednesday's meeting, Gibb said, focused intensely on underlying security conditions in Afghanistan and how the U.S. mission going forward would influence the principle goal of securing territory and giving the government the tools necessary to boost internal security, a precursor to any consideration of reducing US forces, which now number about 68,000.(ANI)

Related Latest

India, US at last getting to more deal making than deal breaking PAC supports idea of making Pak Army's financial records public ISI provides CIA with evidence of Indian hand in Balochistan, Waziristan unrest Manmohan to seek Obama pressure over Pakistan No decision on hockey team's captaincy: Mattoo It will be a close series, says Dhoni By-polls in four assembly constituencies next month Barack Obama bags popular at trade fair Taiwanese trust Obama more than their own president: Survey Schwarzenegger to quit politics next year

Related Latest

Warne says selectors must starting looking to the future PCB told to learn financial management from BCCI Parliament adjourned over Liberhan Report leakage Method to generate power for planes and cars from air flow developed A.R. Rahman's Music Conservatory planning to launch Masters Program Ponting reveals Johnson, Watson are his two dilemmas going into Brisbane Test 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' tops weekend box office '150 Things Every Man Should Know' Razor clam inspires design of robo anchor that digs itself in mudflats Jordan quits I'm A Celebrity jungle over seventh gruelling task

• PCB told to learn financial management from BCCI
• A.R. Rahman's Music Conservatory planning to launch Masters Program
• 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' tops weekend box office
• Razor clam inspires design of robo anchor that digs itself in mudflats
• Jordan quits I'm A Celebrity jungle over seventh gruelling task

• भारतीय क्रिकेट की मजबूत दीवार
• कंगारूओं के आगे ढेर, चीतों से कैसे मुकाबला करेंगें शेर
• Reducing greenhouse gases may not be enough to slow global warming
• बीकानेर महापौर चुनावः एक विश्लेषण
• Deepawali: The Festival Of Lights