Afghan review calls for troop pullout starting July

The Obama administration is setting conditions' to initiate the 'responsible reduction of US troops in Afghanistan, the White House review of Afghan war stated. The troop withdrawal is likely to commence in July as the review maintained that US strategy in the conflict zone has been showing progress.. It also stated that the Al-Qaeda leadership in Pakistan is at its weakest since 2001.

A summary of the review released on Thursday maintained that the Taliban momentum was arrested in much of the country and reversed in key areas. The review however warned that the gains by the US army remain fragile and reversible.

The challenge remains to make our gains durable and sustainable, the summary said.

This is the first complete review of the situation in Afghanistan by the Obama government after it announced a surge of 30,000 troops last December, making a total of 100,000 American forces currently deployed in the region.

Responding to criticism regarding US Pakistan policy, the report stated that insurgent safe havens in Pakistan are smaller and less secure than they were a year ago. It maintained that the US government is committed to laying the foundation for a strategic partnership with Pakistan. The remarks also hinted at a considerable increase in aid to Islamabad to fight insurgent activity in the tribal regions on the borders of Afghanistan.

The review also called for more progress in both Afghanistan and Pakistan by eliminating sanctuaries for 'violent extremist networks. The Obama administration also maintained that it would focus largely on developing Afghan security by 2014. The review, however, expressed concerns over Kabul's abilities to handle the tasks of security and governance amid Taliban and Al-Qaeda presence.

Some parts of the review would be made public on Thursday while several key documents would be marked confidential.