US to take fight to Pakistan border area

US to take fight to Pakistan border area
By Demetri Sevastopulo, Daniel Dombey and Andrew Ward in Washington
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
Published: March 27 2009 15:18 | Last updated: March 27 2009 23:23
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/684a386a-1ae2-11de-8aa3-0000779fd2ac.html


President Barack Obama on Friday unveiled a new strategy for Afghanistan that shifts the focus to defeating al-Qaeda and Taliban militants operating from neighbouring Pakistan.

Calling the situation in Afghanistan “increasingly perilous”, the US president sought to rally the American people and the world around a conflict that some US generals have called the “forgotten war”. He called al-Qaeda a “cancer that risks killing Pakistan from within”.

Mr Obama stressed that the US goal for Afghanistan would be defeating al-Qaeda, and not the aim of building a democracy pushed by the Bush administration. Emphasising the need to deal with militant havens inside Pakistan, he said the “most dangerous place in the world” for America was the border area.

“Multiple intelligence estimates have warned that al-Qaeda is actively planning attacks on the US homeland from its safe haven in Pakistan.”

Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the review’s findings, which saw Mr Obama urge Congress to pass legislation that would provide Pakistan with $7.5bn in assistance over five years to improve infrastructure and strengthen its democracy.

Mr Obama also pledged to send more civilian experts, such as agricultural specialists, which the US military and allies have complained have been lacking.

European foreign ministers welcomed the strategy, saying they would step up their commitment to Afghanistan. But diplomats warned that there was little time for Nato members to agree on sending more personnel and resources to Afghanistan