Al-Qaeda aims to bring down 'nuclear power' Pakistan: Biden

Washington, Dec 20(ANI): United States Vice President Joe Biden has said that the Osama bin laden led-Al Qaeda is trying to "bring down" nuclear-armed Pakistan.

Biden's comment comes days after an Afghanistan war review tip-toed around Islamabad's role in fighting terrorists.

"Our overarching goal and our rationale for being there is to dismantle, ultimately defeat Al Qaeda... to make sure that terrorists do not, in fact, bring down the Pakistani government, which is a nuclear power," the Daily Times quoted Biden, as saying.

The Vice President further said that Al-Qaeda's strength "has been significantly degraded", as US forces have gone after the terrorist network's leadership.

However, he highlighted that there has been less success in countering the Afghan insurgency, dealing with the safe havens in Pakistan and creating a stable Afghan government.

Despite the drawbacks, Biden insisted that the American forces were going to be "totally out of Afghanistan, come hell or high water, by 2014". (ANI)