Obama to review Afghan situation

WASHINGTON, Jan 22: US President Barack Obama has promised to soon undertake a full review of the situation in Afghanistan so as to develop a ‘comprehensive’ policy for the entire region.In a meeting with his national security team on Wednesday, Mr Obama also took the first steps towards withdrawing US troops from Iraq, telling his generals to prepare for a responsible “military drawdown” from the country.In a statement after the meeting, Mr Obama said: “In the coming days and weeks, I will also visit the Department of Defence to consult with the Joint Chiefs on these issues, and we will undertake a full review of the situation in Afghanistan in order to develop a comprehensive policy for the entire region.”He said: “I asked the military leadership to engage in additional planning necessary to execute a responsible military drawdown from Iraq.”Gen David Petraeus, the commander of US forces in the Middle East and Afghanistan, also attended the White House meeting. The general had not attended such briefings since the Nov 4 election.Ryan Crocker, the US Ambassador to Iraq, and Gen Raymond Odierno, the top military officer in Iraq, joined via video conference.As a candidate for president, Mr Obama pledged to withdraw US combat troops from Iraq over a 16-month period.A statement by Mr Obama issued by the White House after Wednesday’s meeting, however, made no mention of a timeframe.“The meeting was productive and I very much appreciated receiving assessments from these experienced and dedicated individuals,” Mr Obama said in his statement.