Afghan war not 'US battle'
2009-09-29 22:19
Washington - US President Barack Obama said on Tuesday the war in Afghanistan was not purely an "American battle" but was a broader Nato mission, as he met the western alliance's chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
"This is not a American battle, this is a Nato mission," Obama told reporters after the Oval Office meeting, which comes as he launches a series of intense talks on whether to send more US soldiers to the Afghan war.
"We are working actively and diligently to consult with Nato at every step of the way," Obama said.
Nato Secretary-General Rasmussen put on a united front with Obama, arguing that "our operation in Afghanistan is not America's responsibility or burden alone, it is and it will remain a team effort."
"I agree with President Obama in his approach: strategy first, then resources," Rasmussen said, adding that all Nato members were studying a grim report on the war by US commander General Stanley McChrystal.
"This alliance will stay united and we will stay in Afghanistan as long as it takes to finish our job."
- AFP