Obama decides to send 30,000 additional US troops to Afghanistan

United States President Barack Obama has announced his decision to send an additional 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan, saying the move was in America's vital national interest and that the country's security was at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan," Mr Obama said while unveiling his new Afghanistan-Pakistan policy in an address at the US Military Academy at West Point in New York Tuesday night.

The decision came after a thorough review of the US Af-Pak policy that Mr Obama had ordered following the completion of voting in the Afghan presidential elections some weeks ago.

The US President said he had not made the decision lightly. "I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is the epicenter of 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," he said.

Mr Obama said this was no idle danger and no hypothetical threat, pointing out that US authorities had, in the last few months alone, apprehended extremists within the country's borders who were sent from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror.

"And 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," he said.

"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," he said.

Mr Obama said this was a burden that was not the US' alone to bear and not just America's war. He said that, since 9/11, al Qaeda's safe havens had been the source of attacks against London, Amman and Bali. He said the people and governments of both Afghanistan and Pakistan were 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," he said.

"These facts compel us to act along with our friends and allies. Our overarching goal remains the same: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to prevent its capacity to threaten America and our allies in the future," he said.

Spelling out the US objectives within Afghanistan, he said the al Qaeda must be denied a safe haven. He said the Taliban's momentum had to be reversed and it must be denied the ability to overthrow the government. He said the capacity of Afghanistan's security forces and government must be strengthened so that they could take lead responsibility for their country's future.

"We will meet these objectives in three ways. First, we will pursue a military strategy that will break the Taliban's momentum and increase Afghanistan's capacity over the next 18 months," he said.

He said the 30,000 additional troops announced last night would deploy in the first part of 2010--the fastest possible pace -- so that they could target the insurgency and secure key population centres. He said the additional troops would increase the US' ability train competent Afghan security forces and to partner with them so that more Afghans could get into the fight. He said they would help create the conditions for the US to transfer responsibility to the Afghans.

Mr Obama said he had asked for contributions from US allies. Some of them had already provided additional troops and he was confident that there would be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead.

"But taken together, these additional American and international troops will allow us to accelerate handing over responsibility to Afghan forces, and allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011. Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground. We'll continue to advise and assist Afghanistan's security forces to ensure that they can succeed over the long haul. But it will be clear to the Afghan government -- and, more importantly, to the Afghan people -- that they will ultimately be responsible for their own country," he said.

The US President said the US would work with its partners, the United Nations and the Afghan people to pursure a more effective civilian strategy so that the government could take advantage of improved security.

"This effort must be based on performance. The days of providing a blank check are over. President Karzai's inauguration speech sent the right message about moving in a new direction. And going forward, we will be clear about what we expect from those who receive our assistance. We'll support Afghan ministries, governors, and local leaders that combat corruption and deliver for the people. We expect those who are ineffective or corrupt to be held accountable. And we will also focus our assistance in areas -- such as agriculture -- that can make an immediate impact in the lives of the Afghan people," he explained.

Mr Obama assured the Afghan people that America wanted an end to the era of war and suffering in their country and had no interest in occupying Afghanistan. He said the US would support efforts by the Afghan government to open the door to those Taliban who abandon violence and respect the human rights of their fellow citizens.

"And we will seek a partnership with Afghanistan grounded in mutual respect -- to isolate those who destroy; to strengthen those who build; to hasten the day when our troops will leave; and to forge a lasting friendship in which America is your partner, and never your patron," he said.

Mr Obama said the US would act with the full recognition that its success in Afghanistan was inextricably linked to its partnership with Pakistan.

"We're in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country. But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan. That's why we need a strategy that works on both sides of the border," he said.

He said recent events had shown that it was the Pakistani people were the most endangered by extremism in their country. He said public opinion had turned and the Pakistani army had waged an offensive in Swat and South Waziristan. "And there is no doubt that the United States and Pakistan share a common enemy," he said.

He said the US had, in the past, too often defined its relationship with Pakistan narrowly. "Those days are over. Moving forward, we are committed to a partnership with Pakistan that is built on a foundation of mutual interest, mutual respect, and mutual trust," he said.

Mr Obama said the US would strengthen Pakistan’s capacity to target extremist groups that threaten both countries. He said the US had made it clear that it could not 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 Pakistan 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.

"These are the three core elements of our strategy: a military effort to create the conditions for a transition; a civilian surge that reinforces positive action; and an effective partnership with Pakistan," he said.

Answering critics of America's involvement in Afghanistan, Mr Obama said that to abandon the area now and to rely only on efforts against al Qaeda from a distance would hamper US ability to keep the pressure on al Qaeda and create an unacceptable risk of additional attacks on the US and its allies.

He said that by the time he had taken office in January this year the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan had approved a trillion dollars. He said he would, going forward, address these costs openly and honestly. He said the new approach in Afghanistan was likely to cost the US roughly $ 30 billion for the military this year.

"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, failed states, diffuse enemies," he said.

Mr Obama stressed the need for investing in homeland security and improving and better coordinating intelligence systems. He said the tools of mass destruction had to be taken away.

"And that's why I've 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," he said.

"We'll have to use diplomacy, because no one nation can meet the challenges of an interconnected world acting alone. I've spent this year renewing our alliances and forging new partnerships. And we have forged a new beginning between America and the Muslim world -- one that recognizes our mutual interest in breaking a cycle of conflict, and that promises a future in which those who kill innocents are isolated by those who stand up for peace and prosperity and human dignity," he added.

At the outset, Mr Obama recalled why the US and its allies were compelled to fight the war in Afghanistan in the first place, tracing the course of events from September 11, 2001, when 19 men hijacked four aircraft and crashed them into the World Trade Centre twin towers in New York and other buildings elsewhere, killing nearly 3000 people.

"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. Al Qaeda’s base of operations was in Afghanistan, where they were harbored by the Taliban -- a ruthless, repressive and radical movement that seized control of that country after it was ravaged by years of Soviet occupation and civil war, and after the attention of America and our friends had turned elsewhere," he explained.

Mr Obama said the situation in Afghanistan had deteriorated after that. "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's been hampered by corruption, the drug trade, an under-developed economy, and insufficient security forces," he said.

According to him, 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 control additional swaths of territory in Afghanistan, while engaging in increasingly brazen and devastating attacks of terrorism against the Pakistani people, he said.

"Now, throughout this period, our troop levels in Afghanistan remained a fraction of what they were in Iraq. When I took office, we had just over 32,000 Americans serving in Afghanistan, compared to 160,000 in Iraq at the peak of the war. Commanders in Afghanistan repeatedly asked for support to deal with the reemergence of the Taliban, but these reinforcements did not arrive. And that's why, shortly after taking office, I approved a longstanding request for more troops. After consultations with our allies, I then announced a strategy recognizing the fundamental connection between our war effort in Afghanistan and the extremist safe havens in Pakistan. I set a goal that was narrowly defined as disrupting, dismantling, and defeating al Qaeda and its extremist allies, and pledged to better coordinate our military and civilian efforts," he said.

He said that since then there had been progress on some important objectives. High-ranking al Qaeda and Taliban leaders had been killed and pressure had been stepped up on al Qaeda worldwide.

"In Pakistan, that nation's army has gone on its largest offensive in years. In Afghanistan, we and our allies prevented the Taliban from stopping a presidential election, and -- although it was marred by fraud -- that election produced a government that is consistent with Afghanistan's laws and constitution," he said.

"Yet huge challenges remain. Afghanistan is not lost, but for several years it has moved backwards. There's no imminent threat of the government being overthrown, but the Taliban has gained momentum. Al Qaeda has not reemerged in Afghanistan in the same numbers as before 9/11, but they retain their safe havens along the border. And our forces lack the full support they need to effectively train and partner with Afghan security forces and better secure the population. Our new commander in Afghanistan -- General McChrystal -- has reported that the security situation is more serious than he anticipated. In short: The status quo is not sustainable," he explained.

He told the cadets at West Point that he owed them a mission that was clearly defined and worthy of their service and that it why he had ordered the review of the operations.

"There has never been an option before me that called for troop deployments before 2010, so there has been no delay or denial of resources necessary for the conduct of the war during this review period. Instead, the review has allowed me to ask the hard questions, and to explore all the different options, along with my national security team, our military and civilian leadership in Afghanistan, and our key partners. And given the stakes involved, I owed the American people -- and our troops -- no less," he added.

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