U.S. President Barack Obama unveiled a new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, saying the U.S. must "disrupt, defeat and dismantle" al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Announcing plans for 4,000 more military troops in Afghanistan, Obama called the situation there "increasingly perilous." He said if the Afghan government falls to the Taliban or allows al Qaeda to prosper, "that country will be a base for terrorists who want to kill us."
"It's been more than seven years since the Taliban was removed from power, yet war rages on, insurgents control parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan," Obama in Friday morning's speech.
He noted that multiple intelligence reports have warned that al Qaeda is actively planning attacks on the United States from safe havens in the border regions of Pakistan.
"For the American people, this border region has become the most dangerous place in the world," he said.
Obama's plan also stressed the need for increased diplomacy, noting that many nations, including Russia, Iran and China have a stake in achieving security in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"From our partners and NATO allies, we seek not simply troops, but rather clearly defined capabilities: supporting the Afghan elections, training Afghan Security Forces, and a greater civilian commitment to the Afghan people," Obama said.
Obama's administration has already approved sending 17,000 additional combat troops to Afghanistan to stabilize the country ahead of August's presidential election.
Canada's foreign minister, Lawrence Cannon, welcomed Obama's announcement.
"We are very pleased and we welcome the release of President Obama's vision this morning," Cannon said during a Friday news conference. "We are pleased at the regional approach, with both Pakistan and Afghanistan involved."
Cannon noted that some of the plan's elements also reflect Canada's shifting strategies in both the war-torn country and the greater region.
But he said he did not anticipate any additional foreign aid to Pakistan, a country's whose stability is vital to Obama's plan.
Cannon said that he is looking forward to accessing Obama's review on Afghanistan and what it means for the Canadian mission at next week's NATO summit in The Hague.
He added that he would be meeting with U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on April 6.
Cannon's sentiments were echoed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who hasn't shied away from criticizing the Afghan NATO operation in the past.
But on Thursday, Karzai said the new U.S. plan "will bring Afghanistan and the international community closer to success."
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff praised Obama's strategy but then said that he doesn't want Canada's strategy in Afghanistan "to be defined by Washington."
'We've lost 116 brave men and women, who've paid for the right to be at the table to define the strategy," he said. "We have a right to be there, we're an important player, but the Harper government has sat there and said, 'Let's let Barack Obama fix this for us.'"
"I'm the biggest fan in the world of the president but President Obama does not define the strategic objectives of Canada or its troops," Ignatieff added.
Conservatives were quick to pounce of Ignatieff's comments.
"I'm surprised that Mr. Ignatieff so misunderstands the issue," Senator Pamela Wallin told CTV's Power Play Friday.
"We need help and we've been asking for this," she said of Obama's plan.
U.S. troops will relieve Canadians
The U.S. military will use the 4,000 new troops to shift the emphasis of its mission to training and expanding the Afghan army. Hundreds more U.S. civilians will also be sent in to boost under-resourced reconstruction and development programs.
The increased American troop presence in Afghanistan will likely cause the territory near Kandahar patrolled by Canadian troops to shrink. The chief of operations for Canada's Join Task Force Afghanistan, Lt-Col. Mike Patrick, says the actual distribution of American forces on the ground in Kandahar has yet to be negotiated.
The president's plan included no timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops, nor dollar figures on costs.
Obama long criticized his predecessor George W. Bush for becoming too distracted by the Iraq war and allowing security to deteriorate in Afghanistan. One of his first moves after taking office in January was to order a review of U.S. policy in Afghanistan.
The new approach comes as violence in Afghanistan peaks to its highest level since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban in 2001. Insurgents have sharply escalated their attacks, often operating from the relative safety of border regions of Pakistan.
American military deaths in Afghanistan rose by 35 per cent in 2008 as Islamic extremists shifted their focus to a new front with the West.
The United Nations is planning a conference on Afghanistan next Tuesday in The Hague.
Roughly 65,000 international forces are in Afghanistan, more than half from the U.S.
Canada has about 2,800 troops stationed in the volatile southern region of the country.
Canada's military involvement is scheduled to end in 2011 and is expected to be replaced by a smaller force that may include police and army trainers, a provincial reconstruction team and aircraft.
On Thursday, the European Union said it would pump more cash into Afghanistan and provide additional personnel for security training.
However, the EU stopped short of committing more combat troops following meetings in the Czech Republic.
With files from The Associated Press
