Would encourage India to continue support to Afghanistan:Perry

Washington, Nov 13: Lauding New Delhi's productive support to Afghanistan, Republican Presidential hopeful and Texas Governor Rick Perry has said he would encourage "friend" India to continue its good work in the war-torn country, if he is elected to the top post.

Perry believes in the clear objective of supporting and developing Afghan National Security Forces to make Afghanistan increasingly stable and able to defend itself, a statement issued by his campaign said.

"As President, Rick Perry will encourage our friends in India to continue their productive support of a free Afghanistan," it said.

The statement said Perry believes that keeping Afghanistan free from a terrorist-supporting regime remains as vital a strategic interest for the US today as it was ten years ago.

If elected President, Perry will make strategic decisions based upon consultations with military leaders on the ground, rather than arbitrary timetables dictated by politics, "as has been the policy" of the Obama administration, it said.

"Perry wants to bring our brave men and women home as soon as we safely can, based on the advice of military commanders on the ground and after consulting with our allies, including the Afghan leadership," it said.

"Rick Perry believes we must get our work in Afghanistan done and done right, because we never want to have to send our sons and daughters back there again," the campaign statement said.

PTI