Obama: US Will 'Finish the Job' in Afghanistan
VOA News 24 November 2009
U.S. President Barack Obama says he plans to "finish the job" in Afghanistan and will soon announce his highly anticipated decision on U.S. troop levels.
The announcement is expected next week.
During a White House news conference with India's prime minister, Mr. Obama said it is in U.S. strategic interests to make sure al-Qaida and its allies cannot operate effectively in the region and Afghanistan's stability is important to that process.
Despite U.S. opinion polls indicating declining public support for the war, Mr. Obama said people will be supportive once they hear his clear rationale for the U.S. mission.
When pressed by reporters for a specific date for announcing his new Afghan policy, Obama said it would be after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.
On Monday, the president held what his spokesman described as his "final meeting" on Afghan war strategy with members of his national security team.
He said the president "has all the information he wants and needs to make a decision" and that the announcement could come as early as next week.
The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, has reportedly told the president that up to 40,000 troops are needed to combat the Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan while helping the government achieve stability.
This year has been the deadliest for foreign forces in Afghanistan since the conflict began eight years ago. There are currently 68,000 U.S. troops in the country.
Critics have said President Obama is taking too long to decide whether to send more troops to fight the violent insurgency in Afghanistan. Gibbs said the decision is complicated and that the American people want the president to take time to get it right.
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