Afghanistan, Pakistan welcome US new strategy against al-Qaida

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Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistani President said "The US presidency now approaches, represents, a positive change. It is an endorsement of our call for economical, social uplifts as a means of fighting extremism."

Zardari says with the aid of foreign donors, authorities are raising an elite 20-thousand-strong police force in each of the country's four provinces to counter insurgency.

The new policy unveiled by Obama on Friday seeks to defeat al-Qaida and its allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The strategy includes four thousand additional troops to help train Afghanistan's army and police. It also grants substantial annual civilian aid for both countries.

Editor:Xiong Qu