Claiming that "the safety of people around the world is at stake", Barack Obama has laid out his strategy for Afghanistan that includes dramatically increased military operations inside of Pakistan.
On Friday, Obama called the mountainous Pakistani side of the Afghan border "the most dangerous place in the world" and reaffirmed the U.S. view that in order for the war in Afghanistan to be successful, the U.S. military would have to go after al-Qaeda forces in Pakistan.
Obama also added the following during his Friday speech: "Let me be clear: al-Qaeda and its allies -- the terrorists who planned and supported the 9/11 attacks -- are in Pakistan and Afghanistan."
This comes on the heels of the announcement that 4,000 more U.S. troops will be sent to Afghanistan, in addition to the 17,000 increase that had already been announced.
Obama's plan also includes a goal of boosting the Afghan army from 80,000 to 134,000 troops by 2011.
The U.K. is also now offering its full backing for a comprehensive military campaign inside of Pakistan.
In fact, U.K. defense secretary John Hutton says that there must now be “an equal focus on both countries”. Current government plans call for the U.K. to send an additional 2,000 British troops to Afghanistan.
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