Karzai, Obama Discuss Security
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Date: 2/18/2009 8:28:25 AM
Sender: VOA News
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Karzai, Obama Discuss Security
By VOA News
18 February 2009
Afghan President Hamid Karzai
The office of Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he and U.S. President Barack Obama spoke late Tuesday for the first time since the U.S. president took office four weeks ago.
The telephone conversation occurred the same day that Mr. Obama announced plans to send 17,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan.
Mr. Karzai＇s office released a statement saying the two leaders discussed bilateral relations, a review of the war on terrorism policy, Afghanistan＇s upcoming presidential elections, and other issues.
U.S. Department of Defense officials Tuesday said 12,000 combat troops will be sent to Afghanistan in the coming months, and 5,000 support troops will follow.
Afghan Defense Ministry officials Wednesday welcomed the announcement. They said they want the U.S. troops to be deployed in especially insecure areas in the south and east.
The increase will bring the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan to about 55,000.
The U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan, requested additional troops months ago to help battle the Taliban insurgency and establish security in Afghanistan.
Mr. Obama said the United States can meet the request now because of a drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq.
The U.S. president said his decision to send more troops now will not "pre-determine" the outcome of an ongoing strategic review of the situation in Afghanistan. He also said he ordered the review because deteriorating security in Afghanistan has not received the "attention, direction and resources" that it requires.
In an interview earlier Tuesday with a correspondent from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Obama said a comprehensive strategy in Afghanistan needs to include diplomacy and development.
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