There is too much talk about leaving and not enough talk about getting the job done right.

BRUSSELS — NATO allies agreed Friday new rules under which they can withdraw their troops from Afghanistan as US Defence Secretary Robert Gates slammed "too much talk about leaving."

Alliance Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced the deal looking ahead to a 2014 deadline to pass control to Afghan security forces after Gates warned that early withdrawal would jeopardise the war effort just as the Taliban has lost the upper hand.

"Frankly, there is too much talk about leaving and not enough talk about getting the job done right. Too much discussion of exit and not enough discussion about the fight," Gates said according to a text of his speech.

"Too much concern about when and how many troops might redeploy, and not enough about what needs to be done before they leave," he said.

"Ministers discussed and agreed principles by which we will (manage) transition," Rasmussen said after talks among the 28 NATO countries and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) partners, not all of whom contribute soldiers.

He said that while the gradual "thinning out" of ISAF forces in particular provinces would accelerate, "redeployment and reinvestment ... remains a NATO responsibility."

Rasmussen said there had to be "coherence" so that "national decisions take into account overall force requirements."

That would mean "relocation" for some troops on active duty, although forces would remain in the line of fire "not a day longer" than needed, and "reconfiguration" for others, whereby "combat forces could be moved into training."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said earlier this week that "five to six places" would be handed over initially.

"The final decision will be made by President Karzai," Rasmussen said of the formal announcement due on March 21, the first day of the Afgahn New Year.

"I have seen a lot of speculation in the media but we fully respect the procedure laid out," Rasmussen added of areas that could include three cities -- Lashkar Gah, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif -- and two provinces, Bamiyan and Panshir, plus the capital region of Kabul minus Surobi.

According to a NATO European military official, early withdrawal plans by Canada and the Netherlands gave "a very poor signal" and Germany has already made known it is likely to follow next year.

There are currently around 140,000 international troops in Afghanistan, around two-thirds of them from the United States.

Washington plans to start withdrawing some of its troops in July at the same time as Afghan forces begin to take over security.

Out of the roughly 140,000 troops in the NATO-led force in Afghanistan, 97,000 are American, with the war costing the United States $10 billion a month.

"America is willing to shoulder the lion's share of the burden but we cannot do it alone," Gates said in his speech.

He acknowledged that the more than 40 countries in the coalition fighting the Taliban had suffered higher casualties in 2010 than in any other year since the war began in 2001.

"These are the tragic costs of success but we bear them because it is in our shared security interests to do so.

"Let me be clear -- uncoordinated national drawdowns would risk the gains made to date," Gates insisted, saying forces had "dealt a heavy blow to the Taliban insurgency" in the past year and pushed the insurgents "out of vital areas in the south and east."

Afghan national security force numbers have built up to current levels of 140,000 soldiers and 100,000 police, trained and armed by the NATO allies.

We will not give up Afghanistan until we eliminate terrorism________NATO Chief

Iran has helped terrorists in Afghanistan

"Understandably, Israel is very concerned when the president of a country, a large country near them, states that they should be wiped off the face of the earth," Obama said, referring to comments by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Obama said Iran could play a constructive role in stabilizing neighboring Afghanistan and that the United States was willing to work with Tehran toward that goal. But also said, "Behind the scenes, we see evidence that occasionally, they have, actually, helped insurgents in ways that end up harming our troops (in Afghanistan)."

U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks "offensive" and "hateful."


Mr. Obama also commented on Iran's nuclear program in the interview.  He told the BBC  there are a "host of options" available if Iran does not cooperate with nuclear regulators.

He also commented on Iran's apparent repression of opposition activists following last year's disputed presidential election.  Mr. Obama said the U.S. has no interest in "meddling in the rights of people to choose their own government."  But he said the U.S will speak out "forcefully" when it sees a government abusing and oppressing its own people.

We will not tolerate a safe haven for terrorists.

"Our nation is at war. We face a very tough fight in Afghanistan. But Americans don't flinch in the face of difficult truths or difficult tasks. We persist and we persevere.” 


"We will not tolerate a safe haven for terrorists who want to destroy Afghan society from within and launch attacks against innocent men, women and children in our country and around the world," Obama said. 


"Make no mistake, we have a clear goal. We are going to break the Taliban's momentum. We are going to build Afghan capacity. We are going to relentlessly apply pressure on al Qaeda and its leadership, strengthening the ability of both Afghanistan and Pakistan to do the same," he said.


"In that effort, we are honoured to be joined by allies and partners who have stood by us and paid the ultimate price through the loss of their young people at war. They are with us because the interests and values that we share, and because this mission is fundamental to the ability of free people to live in peace and security in the 21st century," Obama said. 

U.S. would never be soft on terrorism.

Mr. Blake further noted, “We take extremely seriously the threats against both of our countries because we believe increasingly that there is a syndicate that is operating in countries like Pakistan that threatens both of our countries.”

This syndicate of terror networks also threatens Pakistan itself, he added, noting that it was “in the interests of all three countries to address this very critical problem, to work together”.

Mr. Blake also emphasised that the U.S. had been at “the forefront of countries urging Pakistan to not only continue the progress it has been making in Swat and South Waziristan, but also to address the problem in the Punjab, namely the Punjab-based groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, that are operating against India, that have also targeted the U.S., in the Mumbai bombings and elsewhere.”

He said this would remain a “very, very high priority for us, and you should not doubt the sincerity of that statement”.

On India’s work in Afghanistan he said, “We have welcomed the very important role India has played so far. It is really up to India to decide where it wants to take its cooperation but we commend the steps it has taken so far and we had a discussion on ways that we might be able to cooperate together.” He added that such joint projects may be a promising new area of cooperation between the two countries.

 


 

 

Be prepared for a long haul in Afghanistan

"The United States fully recognises that India has legitimate interests in Afghanistan. It appreciates the development work we do there... It appreciates that we are force of stability and moderation in our region. We are not scaling down in Afghanistan," she said.

India has made it clear that it will not be scaling down its operations in Afghanistan notwithstanding a spate of recent attacks targeting its citizens, including the one on two guest houses in central Kabul in which seven Indians were killed.

We feel it is vital for the international community to stay the course in Afghanistan.

Despite the provocations we have faced constantly from terrorists whose linkages we have traced back to Pakistani soil, we have not abandoned the path of dialogue,' Rao said in an address Monday at the Woodrow Wilson Centre, a renowned Washington think tank. 

India will also not scale down operations in Afghanistan despite terror attacks on its intetests, she said. 'We feel it is vital for the international community to stay the course in Afghanistan.' 

India's approach has been to deal with terrorism with restraint, she said. 'However, our restraint should not be confused with weakness or unwillingness to act against those that seek to harm our people, create insecurity, and hamper our developmental goals. 

'We are a strong country and we possess the capacity to deal effectively with those that pursue destructive agendas against India and its people.

'We have, time and again, made genuine attempts to address outstanding issues, most importantly, the issue of terrorism through dialogue with Pakistan,' she said, referring to her meeting in New Delhi with Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir of Pakistan.

'But it continues to be our conviction that for this dialogue to really make progress, Pakistan should take meaningful steps to address our concerns on terrorism, and cease the encouragement of terrorism targeted against India.'

Rao said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would participate in the Nuclear Security Summit to be hosted by Obama next month. 'We believe the summit can be milestone in addressing the threat of nuclear terrorism.' 

Referring to the latest attacks on Indians in Kabul Feb 26, she said: 'The international community should understand that such attempts, if unchecked, will only embolden the forces that held sway in Afghanistan in the 1990s and caused the tragedy of 9/11.' 

Al-Qaeda and other extremists seek nuclear weapons, and we have every reason to believe that they would use them

 As we know, these men belonged to al-Qaeda - a group of extremists who have distorted and defiled Islam, one of the world's great religions, to justify the slaughter of innocents.

Just days after 9/11, Congress authorised the use of force against al-Qaeda and those who harboured them - an authorisation that continues to this day. The vote in the Senate was 98 to 0. The vote in the House was 420 to 1. For the first time in its history, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization invoked Article 5 - the commitment that says an attack on one member nation is an attack on all. And the United Nations Security Council endorsed the use of all necessary steps to respond to the 9/11 attacks. America, our allies and the world were acting as one to destroy al-Qaeda's terrorist network, and to protect our common security.



But while we have achieved hard-earned milestones in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated. After escaping across the border into Pakistan in 2001 and 2002, al-Qaeda's leadership established a safe haven there. Although a legitimate government was elected by the Afghan people, it has been hampered by corruption, the drug trade, an under-developed economy, and insufficient security forces. Over the last several years, the Taliban has maintained common cause with al-Qaeda, as they both seek an overthrow of the Afghan government. Gradually, the Taliban has begun to take control over swathes of Afghanistan, while engaging in increasingly brazen and devastating acts of terrorism against the Pakistani people.

Most of all, I know that this decision asks even more of you - a military that, along with your families, has already borne the heaviest of all burdens. As president, I have signed a letter of condolence to the family of each American who gives their life in these wars. I have read the letters from the parents and spouses of those who deployed. I have visited our courageous wounded warriors at Walter Reed. I have travelled to Dover to meet the flag-draped caskets of 18 Americans returning home to their final resting place. I see first-hand the terrible wages of war. If I did not think that the security of the United States and the safety of the American people were at stake in Afghanistan, I would gladly order every single one of our troops home tomorrow.



So no - I do not make this decision lightly. I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is the epicentre of the violent extremism practiced by al Qaeda. It is from here that we were attacked on 9/11, and it is from here that new attacks are being plotted as I speak. This is no idle danger, no hypothetical threat. In the last few months alone, we have apprehended extremists within our borders who were sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror. This danger will only grow if the region slides backwards, and al-Qaeda can operate with impunity. We must keep the pressure on al-Qaeda, and to do that, we must increase the stability and capacity of our partners in the region.


Of course, this burden is not ours alone to bear. This is not just America's war. Since 9/11, al Qaeda's safe-havens have been the source of attacks against London and Amman and Bali. The people and governments of both Afghanistan and Pakistan are endangered. And the stakes are even higher within a nuclear-armed Pakistan, because we know that al-Qaeda and other extremists seek nuclear weapons, and we have every reason to believe that they would use them. 

Because this is an international effort, I have asked that our commitment be joined by contributions from our allies. Some have already provided additional troops, and we are confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead. Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. Now, we must come together to end this war successfully. For what's at stake is not simply a test of Nato's credibility - what's at stake is the security of our allies, and the common security of the world.



In the past, there have been those in Pakistan who have argued that the struggle against extremism is not their fight, and that Pakistan is better off doing little or seeking accommodation with those who use violence. But in recent years, as innocents have been killed from Karachi to Islamabad, it has become clear that it is the Pakistani people who are the most endangered by extremism. Public opinion has turned. The Pakistani army has waged an offensive in Swat and South Waziristan. And there is no doubt that the United States and Pakistan share a common enemy.

We will strengthen Pakistan's capacity to target those groups that threaten our countries, and have made it clear that we cannot tolerate a safe haven for terrorists whose location is known, and whose intentions are clear. America is also providing substantial resources to support Pakistan's democracy and development. We are the largest international supporter for those Pakistanis displaced by the fighting. And going forward, the Pakistani people must know: America will remain a strong supporter of Pakistan's security and prosperity long after the guns have fallen silent, so that the great potential of its people can be unleashed.



Let me be clear: none of this will be easy. The struggle against violent extremism will not be finished quickly, and it extends well beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan. It will be an enduring test of our free society, and our leadership in the world. And unlike the great power conflicts and clear lines of division that defined the 20th Century, our effort will involve disorderly regions and diffuse enemies.

And we cannot count on military might alone. We have to invest in our homeland security, because we cannot capture or kill every violent extremist abroad. We have to improve and better coordinate our intelligence, so that we stay one step ahead of shadowy networks.

We will have to take away the tools of mass destruction. That is why I have made it a central pillar of my foreign policy to secure loose nuclear materials from terrorists; to stop the spread of nuclear weapons; and to pursue the goal of a world without them. Because every nation must understand that true security will never come from an endless race for ever-more destructive weapons - true security will come for those who reject them.

Finally, we must draw on the strength of our values - for the challenges that we face may have changed, but the things that we believe in must not. That is why we must promote our values by living them at home - which is why I have prohibited torture and will close the prison at Guantanamo Bay. And we must make it clear to every man, woman and child around the world who lives under the dark cloud of tyranny that America will speak out on behalf of their human rights, and tend to the light of freedom, and justice, and opportunity, and respect for the dignity of all peoples. That is who we are. That is the moral source of America's authority.

America, we are passing through a time of great trial. And the message that we send in the midst of these storms must be clear: that our cause is just, our resolve unwavering. We will go forward with the confidence that right makes might, and with the commitment to forge an America that is safer, a world that is more secure, and a future that represents not the deepest of fears but the highest of hopes. Thank you, God bless you, God bless our troops, and may God bless the United States of America. 

India and the EU stand together in combating terrorism which is a serious threat to international peace and security

"We reviewed the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan and emphasised the need for concerted international action to combat terrorism," Manmohan Singh said.

"What happens in Afghanistan and Pakistan affects us intimately more than any other country in the world. We have vital stakes in the peace, progress and stability of not only Afghanistan but also Pakistan," the prime minister said.

"We hope the international community will stay the course in meeting these problems. It requires collective efforts on part of the international community."

Expanding counter-terror cooperation figured prominently in discussions between Manmohan Singh and the EU leaders at the daylong summit here.

"We have agreed to work towards an early finalisation of the agreement between Europol (the nodal criminal intelligence unit of the EU) and India," he said.

"India and the EU stand together in combating terrorism which is a serious threat to international peace and security," said Reinfeldt.

U.S. set to pay Taliban members to switch sides

"Afghan leaders and our military say that local Taliban fighters are motivated largely by the need for a job or loyalty to the local leader who pays them and not by ideology or religious zeal," Levin said in a Senate floor speech on September 11. "They believe an effort to attract these fighters to the government's side could succeed, if they are offered security for themselves and their families, and if there is no penalty for previous activity against us."

'Pak using jihadi elements to destabilise India'

"It (Pakistan) has been one of actually using jihadi militants as an instrument of destabilisation in both Afghanistan and India. And we think that's wrong," _____Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor.

Pak would change its attitude if US leaves Afghanistan: McCain

I guarantee you, if we send the signal to Pakistan that we're leaving, I can only imagine the adjustments that will be made in Pakistan -- Pakistani government's behaviour, including the ISI if they think we're leaving.

The goal is to destroy ai-Qaeda from everywhere

Obama said his overriding goal is to dismantle the al-Qaeda network, to destroy their capacity to inflict harm not just on the US, but people of all faiths and all nationalities all around the world.

"Stability in Afghanistan and in Pakistan are critical to that mission," the President told mediapersons at the end of the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh.

He said after several years of drift in Afghanistan, "we now find ourselves in a situation in which you have strong commitments from the ISAF coalition, our NATO allies, all of them are committed to making this work".

200th British soldier dies in Afghanistan

But he said British troops were on a vital mission to stop the al-Qaida terror network using Afghanistan as a base for attacks on Britain and elsewhere, and stressed there would be no retreat.

"But my commitment is clear: we must and will make Britain safer by making Afghanistan more stable. We will honour and support those who have been killed or wounded in the field of battle," he said.

Pakistani Army must do more: Brown

The goal of the United States is to disrupt, dismantle, and ultimately defeat Al Qaeda

"Our national security as well as the future of Afghanistan depends on a stable, democratic, and economically viable Pakistan. We applaud the new Pakistani determination to deal with the militants to threaten their democracy and our shared security," Ms. Clinton said on Wednesday.


In Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ms. Clinton said, the goal of the United States is to disrupt, dismantle, and ultimately defeat Al Qaeda and its extremist allies and to prevent their return to either country.


"Yet Americans often ask why do we ask our young men and women to risk their lives in Afghanistan when Al Qaeda's leadership is in neighbouring Pakistan? That question deserves a good answer," she said.

Jim Jones hails Pakistani attack on militants

Taliban is resurgent, al-Qaeda increasing attacks: Obama

Mumbai attackers should be tried in ICJ: US lawmaker-US-World-The Times of India

Mumbai attackers should be tried in ICJ: US lawmaker-US-World-The Times of India
"So I think, when you have a pattern of behaviour, which Pakistanis exhibited in the past, by initially arresting the perpetrators and those involved in the planning after the attack on the Parliament and then releasing them, there is no reason for us to be secure in the belief that these planners would face justice," Royce said.

"These(Mumbai) attacks are crimes against humanity. The realisation that a terror training camp was being maintained and churning out terrorists across, has left us all with the realisation that we have to leverage Pakistan to close down those camps."

Afghan girls return to school-South Asia-World-The Times of India

Afghan girls return to school-South Asia-World-The Times of India