US objective is to stabilise Afghanistan, dismantle al-Qaeda: White House

The President's strategy (on Afghanistan) is driven by the goal to disrupt, dismantle and ultimately defeat al-Qaeda, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters.

By PTI | Updated: Feb 02, 2012, 01.13 PM IST

Washington: The goal of the US is to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaeda and give Afghanistan government the ‘breathing room’ necessary to build up its armed forces, the White House has said.

“The President’s strategy (on Afghanistan) is very clear. It is driven by the goal to disrupt, dismantle and ultimately defeat al-Qaeda,” the White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.

“It also has as its objective to stabilise Afghanistan, to give the Afghan government the breathing room necessary to build up its armed forces, to allow it to gradually take over security lead,” he said in response to a question.

“We are in the process of that transition as we draw down US forces that were sent in the surge. That process will result, as articulated by NATO in Lisbon, in the full transfer to Afghan lead by the end of 2014,” Carney said.

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