White House review on Afghanistan, Pakistan
A review of President Obama’s war strategy cites progress in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but leaves until later the answers to questions that have plagued the U.S. effort since Obama dispatched additional troops last year.
The review unveiled by the president and his top advisors at the White House on Thursday sheds little new light on major questions such as how soon Afghan forces will be able assume more responsibility for security, and whether international troops can effectively choke off access from insurgent sanctuaries in Pakistan.
A five-page summary of the review’s findings released by the White House concludes that the “strategy is showing progress,” especially against Al Qaeda in Pakistan, and is “setting the conditions to begin a responsible reduction of U.S. forces in July 2011,” the date previously set by Obama for beginning withdrawals.