WASHINGTON, Oct 5, (AFP): US President Barack Obama and his war cabinet held a video conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, focusing on the drive to put Afghan forces in charge of security by 2014.
The White House revealed the rare link-up between the two leaders late on Monday, adding that Obama was joined on the high powered call by his secretaries of state and defense and top civilian and military officials.
In a sparing statement on the contents of the discussion, the White House said the 30-minute exchange focused on “a number of topics, including the strategic vision for long term US-Afghan relations, the recent Afghan parliamentary elections, and regional relations.”
“The two leaders agreed that they should continue routine engagements to refine a common vision and to align our efforts to support President Karzai’s goal of completing transition to Afghan lead security responsibility by 2014.” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and new White House interim chief of staff Pete Rouse took part in the conference, the White House said.

Afghan war commander General David Petraeus and US ambassador to Kabul Karl Eikenberry joined the videoconference from Kabul.
Obama, in announcing his troop surge strategy last year stipulated that some US soldiers would begin coming home by July 2011, in strategy designed to place more responsibility for security on emerging Afghan forces. Karzai has set a goal for Afghan forces to lead and conduct security and military operations in all Afghan provinces by 2014.
Earlier on Monday, Obama told lawmakers no current changes were needed to his Afghanistan and Pakistan strategy, as US forces escalate operations against the Taleban and al-Qaeda.
Obama delivered the verdict, which had previously been voiced by senior members of his national security staff, as he handed over his administration’s latest classified report on the conduct of the war mandated by Congress.

“We are continuing to implement the policy as described in December and do not believe further adjustments are required at this time,” Obama wrote in the assessment, delivered Monday.
“As the Congress continues its deliberations on the way ahead in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I want to continue to underscore our nation’s interests in the successful implementation of this policy.”\ The president is expected to mount a fresh review of strategy on Afghanistan by the end of the year, but again, no major adjustments are expected.
The NATO-led strategy is designed to push Taleban insurgents out of major towns in the south and east while building up Afghan government security forces so that American troops can start withdrawing by July 2011.
Gates and top commanders say there are tentative signs of progress in Afghanistan, where nearly 150,000 US and allied troops are trying to turn the tide against a resilient Islamist insurgency.
Obama released his report Monday amid fresh evidence of an escalation of US activity in the lawless region between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
A US drone strike on Monday killed eight militants, including German nationals in Pakistan near the Afghan border, local security officials said.