India wants US to stay in Afghanistan

NEW DELHI(PAN. 

During her ongoing visit to Delhi for a strategic dialogue, India’s External Affairs Minister SM Krishna told US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that remaining engaged in Afghanistan was an imperative. 

“We have impressed upon the US and other countries that it is a necessity for them to continue to stay in Afghanistan, depending upon the comfort level of the government of Afghanistan,” Krishna said.

“It is necessary for the United States to factor in Afghanistan’s ground realities,” he said, adding it was important for Afghanistan to be in a position to defend itself against terrorism.

After the killing of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, President Barack Obama decided to pull out 10,000 US troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2011, followed by another 20,000 by the summer of 2012 and complete the process by 2014.
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