Obama promises not to allow al-Qaeda, its allies operate in Afghanistan region - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

US President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he intends to "finish the job" in Afghanistan and destroy al Qaeda and its extremist allies so that they are not able to operate in the region. To assess his Afghanistan strategy in advance of his troop decision, President Obama held his 10th and final war council meeting on Monday night. Replying to a question on imminent decision on troop levels in Afghanistan, he said he would announce his decision on how many additional soldiers to deploy to Afghanistan after Thanksgiving. "I feel confident that when the American people hear a clear rationale for what we're doing there and how we intend to achieve our goals, that they will be supportive," President Obama told reporters after his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan SIngh. "It is in our strategic interests, in our national security interest to make sure that al-Qaeda and its extremist allies cannot operate effectively in those areas," President Obama said. "We are going to dismantle and degrade their capabilities and ultimately dismantle and destroy their networks. It is my intention to finish the job," he said about the Afghanistan war, which is going on since 9/11 attacks.