President Obama: US troops presence in Afghanistan not permanent; US Military report finds errors in Farah air strikes; US plans to hunt terror financiers for Taliban; Richard Holbrooke: India has a legitimate role to play in stabilising Afghanistan
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    • While delivering a keynote speech to the Muslim world in Cairo on June 4, the US president Barak Obama said that the United States has no intention of keeping its troops in Afghanistan and does not want any permanent military bases there. Although he pointed out that there were still violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan; and the US would use a combination of diplomacy and a commitment to root out the problem1. However, reacting to Obama's Cairo speech, the Taliban described his words as an attempt to deceive the Muslims and push ahead Washington's expansionist agenda, a statement of outfit released to media said2.

    Meanwhile, a US military investigation report has concluded that American personnel made significant errors in carrying out some of the air strikes in the western Farah province of Afghanistan on May 4 that killed dozens of Afghan civilians3.

    The US special envoy on Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke said on June 5 that the US would reinvigorate efforts to trace the sources of financing for the Taliban insurgency, with special scrutiny of private donations. Private donors, including some from Persian Gulf countries, were increasingly believed to be a far more important source of money for the Taliban than even the opium trade, which the United Nations estimates to be about $300 million a year, he added. Holbrooke was speaking at a news conference in Islamabad during his two days visit to Pakistan4. Commenting on India’s role in Afghanistan, Holbrooke said that India has a legitimate role to play in the search for stability in Afghanistan and the region. “India is a very important player not only in the region, but also internationally and throughout the globe. They have a legitimate role to play in the search for stability in the region, and a legitimate need to be fully informed of what we are doing,” he stated while clarifying that he was not a special representative for India5.

    Reports noted that more than 80 persons have been killed in series of violent incidents across Afghanistan over the week which included Uruzgan operations on June 4 led by Afghan and the US forces in which at least 22 insurgents were killed as the fight between the US-led security forces and Taliban insurgents intensifies6.

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