Obama, Manmohan discuss situation in Afghanistan

The US President may announce a surge of up to 35,000 troops

US President Barack Obama today discussed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the situation in Afghanistan and further steps to bring peace and stability in the country, ahead of unveiling his new Af-Pak policy, under which he is expected to announce a surge of up to 35,000 troops and outline an exit strategy.

Obama telephoned Singh on the heels of the two leaders’ meeting in Washington during which the Afghan issue was discussed prominently.

The two leaders, during their “brief conversation”, discussed ways to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan, apart from the December 7-18 climate change summit in Copenhagen, the Prime Minister's Office said in New Delhi.

The US President, in his new Af-Pak policy incorporating an exit strategy which is to be unveiled tomorrow, is expected to announce deployment of up to 35,000 more troops to fight a resurgent Taliban, Al-Qaeda and to secure Afghan cities, along with additional civilian aid.

During his meeting with Obama in Washington, Singh had said it was important for all major regional and international players to put their weight behind the Afghan government.

Obama had highlighted the importance of tackling violence and extremism emanating from the region “in a serious way”.

India feels that owing to the continued threat posed by terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, the world community should stay engaged there and not think about “premature exit”, as it could embolden terrorists.

Singh is of the view that India and the US need to do more in cooperation on counter-terrorism.

“I sincerely hope that the world community will have the wisdom to stay engaged in that process and premature talk of exit would only embolden the terrorist elements who are out to destabilise not only our part of the world but civilised world everywhere,” Singh had said in Washington last week.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the US President would be making several calls to world leaders to brief them on his new Af-Pak policy.

He said the new policy would come with an exit strategy and would not be “an open-ended commitment”.

“Ultimately, the strategy will be to transfer the security responsibility of an area to the Afghans,” he said in Washington.