Obama to discuss Afghan reconciliation with Nawaz
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WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama on Thursday, in an address to his nation from the White House, said he would meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on October 22 to discuss his plan for peace in the Pak-Afghan region.
Obama also announced a plan to keep 5,500 American troops in Afghanistan into 2017, cancelling his earlier plan to bring home most of the troops before he leaves office.
The US president said he held extensive consultations with his commanders in Afghanistan, the US national security team, international partners and Afghan leaders before making the announcement.
Obama also spoke with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday to discuss this plan and also discussed with him the Afghan-led reconciliation process.
Also read: Nawaz to take up Indian ceasefire violations issue with US leadership
The US troops will operate from three bases in Bagram, Jalalabad and Qandahar and will be able to operate quickly when needed.
He also slowed the pace of the reduction of American forces and plans to maintain the current US force of 9,800 through most of 2016.
Obama called the new war plan a “modest but meaningful” extension of the US military mission in Afghanistan, which he originally planned to end next year.
The US president acknowledged his country's weariness of the lengthy conflict but said he was “firmly convinced we should make this extra effort.”
Know more: Pakistan ready to facilitate Afghan-Taliban peace talks: Sartaj
Military leaders have argued for months that the Afghans needed additional assistance and support from the US to beat back a resurgent Taliban and hold onto gains made over the past 14 years of American bloodshed and billions of dollars in aid.
It will be up to Obama's successor — the third US commander in chief to oversee the war — to decide how to proceed from there.
“I suspect that we will continue to evaluate this going forward, as will the next president,” Obama said, standing alongside Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Joseph Dunford as he announced the plan.
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Comments (44) Closed
Oct 15, 2015 09:05pm
ready for DO MORE instruction
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Oct 15, 2015 09:06pm
New York Times reported that US will try to entice (entrap) Nawaz into signing a deal that will severely limit Pakistan's nuclear capability. I urge all Pakistanis to maintain pressure on the government so it does not fall into any American Trap. US is not a friend of Pakistan or Muslim countries. It will never fail to harm our interests. Please be warned and do not lower your guards.
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Oct 15, 2015 09:09pm
Thats Obvious, what else is there to discuss with a security state ?
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Oct 15, 2015 09:31pm
Pakistan must make it clear that USA must make it potent to save the interest of west by supplying Apache helicopters, Patriot missiles, missile defense shield and latest armed drone technology. Lip service must end and USA has to give latest stealth fighters for safety.
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Oct 15, 2015 09:35pm
Military operation is not a solution. Moreocer, giving money to Afghan Govt. is also not good. Build schools, universities, technical colleges and give extra packages for the investors if they invest in Afghanistan. If people would have realized that getting involved in such activities will directly affect their family life, they will not indulge into that
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Oct 15, 2015 09:53pm
Afghanistan is called the "graveyard of empires" for a reason.
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Oct 15, 2015 10:00pm
Education, Infrastructure upgrade, Economic prosperity, Foreign investment is the only way to fix Afghanistan. Many people blame Pakistan, but please note, Afghanis have been fighting for 1000's of years. Pakistan's (US sponsored) role only started 30 years ago.
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Oct 15, 2015 10:21pm
Are they going to discuss anything about Pakistan?
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Oct 15, 2015 10:42pm
Advice to PM, distance Pakistan from Afghan policy. We need to make sure that everyone understands that we have nothing to do with Afghanistan. The only issue with Afghanistan is return of their refugees. US is welcome to create an AF-India policy , we have suffered long by AF-Pakistan.
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Oct 15, 2015 10:52pm
We dont want anything with Afghanistan. Just return the refugees and let US handle the mess thet have created in 80s with mujahideen, in 90s with sanctions and in 00s with the invasion. Afghans can keel playing the indian card as long as they want.
With russia spreading arms in middle east, pakistan refusing to go to yemen and china's direct interest in cpec.. the world is a different place now.
I can bet that there will be no mention of do more but an appreciation of Pakistan's effort on afgha process. With changing dynamics, US will start balancing subcontinent again.. and guess whose the loser.. india who has put all its eggs with US allianxe against china.
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Oct 15, 2015 10:56pm
@Pragmatist you are forgetting or may be are too young to remember that in 1998 Nawaz Sharif carried on with the Nuclear Tests despite US pressure and paid the price in 1999!
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Oct 15, 2015 11:00pm
Ghani & company know that they cannot survive without US & NATO forces.
Karzai cleverly maneuvered & survived 2 terms in office. US should pull out now & let them settle their scores.
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Oct 15, 2015 11:03pm
@Shahryar Shirazi you forgot the most important thing Afghans want most 'Sharia'.
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Oct 15, 2015 11:06pm
@ramesh
India also gets instructions from US and Israel. Your independence is very much questionable now.
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Oct 15, 2015 11:33pm
@Pragmatist So you are saying everyone in the global village is Pakistan's enemy. But Pakistan still keeps looking towards United States and others for all needed help that it requires for day to day survival, be it economic, defense material, even assurances that its nuclear facilities will not be targeted by India or Israel or their allies.
That is why the main issues facing India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan is their leaderships misuse of their political offices for keeping the primary issues alive so that they can look good globally and can get some attention for the needs of their countries sustainability.
Beggars are not chooser's all these three countries and their leadership need to put their acts together for bringing regional peace. The next upcoming meeting with Mr. Nawaz Sharif, and President Obama, “I suspect that we will continue to evaluate this going forward, as will the next president,” Obama said," in the meantime acts of terrorism continues in Pakistan and region.
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Oct 15, 2015 11:57pm
@Pragmatist You forgot that Nawaz sharif was the who took all the pressure from the world and exploded these bomb on 28 May!! if it was zardari or any other i would have thought it can be true but with NS no way!
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Oct 16, 2015 12:53am
The Pakistani military establishment is very powerful. No political party either in government or outside can dare to struck any deal on its nuclear programme. Nuclear bomb is inevitable for the existence of Pakistan. The life of the country is tied to its nuclear bomb. The forthcoming visit of Nawaz Sharif will be a futile exercise. Nothing meaningful will come out of it.
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Oct 16, 2015 01:05am
@Pragmatist unfortunately Mr Nawaz is part of this deal that you mentioned, things will not go according to Pakistani wishes as always.
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Oct 16, 2015 01:07am
Just like Syria, Afghanistan should also invite China And Russia for their fight against terrorism and give them military bases in Kabul and Helmand
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Oct 16, 2015 01:10am
Obama seem to be very angry...Wonder why?
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Oct 16, 2015 01:11am
@Gul ...LOL
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Oct 16, 2015 01:56am
@ayub
I have to agree with you that the Pakistani armed forces is strong to withstand any external threat. Where Pakistan is weak is in its internal security apparatus. It is unable to enforce rule of law without the help of military. And that is not a proud statement for any country. One of the reasons for many if its weakness is the fact that a lot of resources are being sucked in by the strong military
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Oct 16, 2015 02:29am
@hitesh yes to put pressure on India!
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Oct 16, 2015 02:34am
Good news. We need US to stay in Afghanistan until all terrorists are eliminated.
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Oct 16, 2015 02:42am
Nawaz should ask do more for kashmir this time.
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Oct 16, 2015 03:02am
@hitesh;
'Are they going to discuss anything about Pakistan?'
No, they will discuss consumption of beef.
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Oct 16, 2015 03:17am
Hope PM asks them to waive over 35 Billion dollar IMF/others loan for all that Pakistan has done during war on terror, that cost billions of lost economic revenues and thousands of loss of lives to Pakistanis. This is the time to play it smart, as over $35,000,000,000 is something that pakistanis would not be able to pay-off for generations. Lets others to prove they are friends, and willing to reward pakistan by waiving all the heavy duty loans. Need excellent negotiatin skills ofcourse, as nothing for nothing in this world. Lets hope PM team does not give away any thing that comes back to haunt future pakistanis.
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Oct 16, 2015 03:44am
@M ... Your Chinese brothers now have those for sale at bargain prices.
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Oct 16, 2015 04:05am
@samir .... The US has no military alliance with India against China. You are dreaming. Millions of Chinese live in America, some of them are recent arrivals from Shanghai and Beijing. Chinese have been in America since the 1850s. A Chinese engineering firm just built a skyscraper in New York City using Chinese labor.
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Oct 16, 2015 04:08am
@Mohamad USA .... Most Americas agree with you. Even veterans.
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Oct 16, 2015 04:11am
@Gul ... The real reason Pakistanis hate America is because America supports Israel.
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Oct 16, 2015 04:11am
The Americans still have no clue on what they are undertaking.
Afganistan terrain is ideal for siege by local militias. Afghans have done that for centuries. That is all they know.
It is pretty naive for Obama to expect a "parliamentary implant democracy" can take root so quickly.
Afghanistan needs 2 generations to come out. It is a 50 year commitment. The best hope is to reconcile with the Taliban. And do not expect Pakistan to pull off miracles. There is just that much Pakistan can do.
Have a pleasant long-haul.
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Oct 16, 2015 04:19am
Islamopobia will not be cured until Jewphobia is cured.
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Oct 16, 2015 04:25am
New plan to bring back ttp to table
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Oct 16, 2015 04:42am
Just Like Syria, Afghanistan should also invite China and Russia for their fight against terrorism
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Oct 16, 2015 05:00am
@Ghaznavi , agree, Pakistan must not agree on any thing which will harm Pakistan security. Pakistan focus on education. Every solution is in the education.
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Oct 16, 2015 05:02am
@ayub , Pakistan needed long range missiles.
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Oct 16, 2015 06:18am
Pakistan, I urge you to stand tall and stay strong. You one of the world's great nations and you no longer need to tow the line of any other country.
Have confidence in yourself and do not look up in awe of any great power in the world.
The only Great Power you should look up in awe is The Almighty...
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Oct 16, 2015 06:24am
There is another important issue to discuss. Our latest missile test of 1700 miles range has put Israel in our cross sights, that could impede Israel's ability to slaughter Palestinian children with impunity and the West wants to restore 'balance'. I believe entry into Nuclear Supplier's Group is related to that.
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Oct 16, 2015 06:44am
@Mustafa , absolutely right, Pakistan have no choice but to surrender it's missiles technology to US.
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Oct 16, 2015 06:47am
@Mohamad USA , it is an elected government. It is a democratically elected, hypocrisy is at its peek. Taliban were the real ruler and democratically elected. Give back to them.
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Oct 16, 2015 07:01am
@Pragmatist, in that case you will have to include Imran Khan in the entourage.
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Oct 16, 2015 08:47am
@ayub In these intermittent past seven decades of political governments over passing 68 years have just given fiscal deficits to Pakistani nation and its population. The first world order countries are happy that educated Pakistani's get frustrated by the system political parties bring to the forefront that helps them make Pakistan more dependent on the IMF, World Bank and such other institutions, and brain drain is an on going process in Pakistan.
Political leaders are self serving personalities with no mandate for the progress of Pakistan and its people. And the name of democracy is sham democracy and nothing less or nothing more than what West practices as political system.They are all only pygmies in front of world leaders of first World countries. There will be no concrete outcome of these political leaders visit to USA and other countries. It is business as usual for these delegations. Democracy in Pakistan is day dreaming and nothing else.
I fully concur with your opinion.
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Oct 16, 2015 11:05am
@M
Huh?Come again?
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