Arun Kumar | 09 Jul, 2008
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has said that if elected he would do everything to stabilise the Afghanistan situation, which is getting worse, as indicated by Monday's terrorist attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul.

"The war in Afghanistan is one we have to win," Obama said in a campaign address in St. Louis Tuesday. "And as president of the United States, I will do everything that we can to stabilise the situation in Afghanistan and go on the offensive against Al Qaeda, who have reconstituted themselves."

Offering his condolences to the families of those killed in Monday's suicide attack, Obama said: "First of all, obviously, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who were killed.

"It is one more indication of the severe deterioration that we've seen in the security situation in Afghanistan."

Militants Monday rammed an explosives-laden car into the heavily fortified Indian embassy's gates in Kabul, killing at least 44 people, including four Indians.

Suggesting a phased redeployment of US troops from Iraq to Afghanistan, Obama said the Al Qaeda had become "more powerful than at any time since 2001, since we first went in. They've created safe havens inside the northwest provinces in Pakistan".

"I have consistently stated that one of the reasons for us to begin a careful, phased redeployment out of Iraq is that we are undermanned in Afghanistan," he said. "It is absolutely critical for us to be able to go on the offensive."

"That means working both with the Afghan government and with the Pakistani government, having the resources to do it, and having the credibility in the region to be able to shape an overarching policy that moves us forward," he said. "Our continued occupation in Iraq makes that more difficult to do."