Washington: America's top General in
Afghanistan has briefed President Barack Obama and his cabinet
on "progress" made in the first big offensive there following
a surge in the US forces, the White House said.
Obama's Situation Room meeting on Afghanistan and
Pakistan was attended by top civilian, military and
intelligence officials yesterday. The meeting initially
scheduled for 60 minutes lasted for 90 minutes.
"The President and his team discussed a range of
issues related to security and governance. The President also
received a briefing from (US) Ambassador (to Pakistan Anne)
Patterson, on our security cooperation with Pakistan and
support for the Pakistani people," White House Press Secretary
Robert Gibbs said.
"The meeting began with a briefing from General
(Stanley) McChrystal (the US Commander in Afghanistan), who
noted the continued progress in the Marja offensive and the
strengthening partnership with Afghan national security
forces," he said.
Of note that Gen McChrystal told the group including
obviously the president that they were on schedule on the
force flow, in getting additional forces approved by the
president into Afghanistan, by the end of the summer.
"They discussed in surrounding Marja that we were
largely through the clearing phase and more rapidly moving to
a phase of hold, which puts a premium obviously on good
governance," Gibbs said.
"We spent quite a bit of time discussing the Afghan
national security forces, the army and the police forces, the
training, and some adjustments that the President and the team
have been working on, around recruitment and retention of
police and army forces, dating back to the president's
original meetings in the Situation Room, prior to his decision
in December," he said.
Responding to a question on Pakistan's cooperation in
the fight against terrorism, he said this has been of a very
level.
"We have enjoyed a almost unprecedented level of
cooperation with them, dating back probably almost a year now,
to extremist movements that threatened the Pakistanis and, I
think, in many ways alerted them to many of the concerns that
we have long had," he said.
"We feel like we're making progress each and every
day. And I think in the update that he got from Ambassador
Patterson that was conveyed," he said, adding the next monthly
situation room meeting on Af-Pak is scheduled for April 16.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, March 13, 2010, 18:32