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Karzai's Key Advisor Warns against US Exit Efforts
[Tolo News] President Karzai's National Security Advisor has warned that al-Qaeda network still has "tremendous recruitment potential" after the death of the late Osama bin Laden... who is no more... deep inside Pakistain. Rangin Dadfar Spanta, who is also Head of the National Security Council, said he can understand the sentiment in Washington that eliminating Bin Laden was one of the initial objectives of US involvement in the war in Afghanistan, The New York Times ...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize... reported. "I can understand that but at the same time my warning would be to be very careful," Spanta has said. "Al-Qaeda is not only Bin Laden. It's a very dangerous policy to think so. Of course, Bin Laden was a charismatic leader for al-Qaeda, a symbol for them who is gone now. But the network he headed is alive and active and it has a tremendous recruitment potential in this region." Some members of President B.O.'s newly appointed national security team believe American troops should be pulled out of Afghanistan more rapidly than previously discussed, according to the Times. Speaking on condition of anonymity officials from military and the Obama Administration have told the New York Times that new "strategic considerations" require to be rethought. According to the officials the considerations include the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and the rising costs of counterterrorism combats. On his final and 12th visit to Afghanistan Pentagon Chief Robert Gates expressed concern over hasty withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, saying any hurried drawdown of combat forces from Afghanistan could lead to more instability. Robert Gates will retire by the end of this month leaving his post to CIA Chairman Leon Panetta. The United State has around 100,000 troops in Afghanistan and President B.O. has yet to make public the size of troops to be pulled out of the country based on withdrawal initiative due to start in a couple of weeks. Posted by: Fred 2011-06-08 |
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