Pak 'greatest security risk' for United States: Kerry

Islamabad, Oct.1 (ANI): US chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, John Kerry has said that focus of the AfPak strategy is Pakistan, as the country is the 'greatest' security risk for the United States.

"Pakistan is the critical focus, the greatest security risk for the United States," said Kerry during a meeting with President Barack Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden and several top officials.

The meeting was called to discuss and chart out a new course in Afghanistan, where the US led allied forces continue to struggle against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda even after six months following the announcement of a revamped strategy.

Officials said Obama is very concerned about the present Afghan scenario and is on the look out for some other options for the region, as his previous policies don't appear to have had any substantial effect.

"He's doing what he has to do: before you make a decision, you better scrub all your alternative options," The Nation quoted Brett H. McGurk, who worked on Afghanistan and Iraq at the National Security Council under President George Bush, as saying.

While there are suggestions of sending more troops to Afghanistan to intensify the operation against the extremists, some believe it would be more wise to reduce troops and target the militants specifically rather than waging a full-fledged war.

"There's no question that more forces will buy more space and time, and that will translate into an effort to get more Afghan police into the hinterlands and more Afghan National Army soldiers through training," said General Dan K. McNeill, the former NATO commander in Afghanistan. (ANI)