Afghanistan warmly accepted Obama pledge

President Barack Obama’s decision to keep a 9,800-strong US force in Afghanistan till next year.

he declared that Afghan forces weren’t prepared to stand alone.

Calling the strategy:

“The right thing to do”, Obama acknowledged “Afghan forces are still not as strong as they need to be”.

“As commander in chief, I will not allow Afghanistan to be used as a safe haven for terrorists to attack our nation again,” he said in a televised address.

Afghanistan welcomed the choice, saying in a statement late Thursday “It will respond to fear and terror with full force”, but adding that it will keep “ajar the door to peace”.

President Ashraf Ghani additionally tweeted his support for the selection.

“Beside stability/development of AFG, we remain determined to strengthen the relations in the area of fighting terrorism now more than ever,” he wrote.