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August 29, 2008
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Friday
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Sha'aban 26, 1429
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Fata central front in war on terror, says Biden
By Our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Aug 28: The central front against terrorism is in Pakistan and Afghanistan and not in Iraq, says Joe Biden, the vice-presidential candidate of the Democratic Party.
The senator from Delaware, who was declared Barack Obama’s running mate at a convention in Denver on Wednesday night, devoted part of his acceptance speech to highlight the fight against extremists in Fata.
“The resurgence of fundamentalism in Afghanistan and Pakistan (is) the real central front against terrorism,” he warned. “The fact is Al Qaeda and the Taliban — the people who actually attacked us on 9/11 — have regrouped in those mountains between Afghanistan and Pakistan and are plotting new attacks.”
Although an old friend of Republican candidate John McCain, Mr Biden used his acceptance speech to launch a frontal attack on his Senate colleague. He recalled that only three years ago, Senator McCain had suggested that the US had won the war in Afghanistan and that’s why it was not in the news anymore.
“Now, let me ask you: Whose judgment should we trust? Should we trust John McCain’s judgment …? Or should we trust Barack Obama, who more than a year ago called for sending two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan?” he asked.
Mr Biden noted that Senator Obama was not alone in emphasising the need to take the war along the Afghan-Pakistan border more seriously. “Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff echoed Barack’s call for more troops.”
Mr Biden’s choice for the Democratic ticket aims at thwarting Republican criticism that Senator Obama has had little exposure to international issues.
As the head of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Mr Biden not only has firsthand experience of dealing with such issues but also has travelled across the world and personally knows key world leaders.
Mr Biden underlined his credentials in the acceptance speech. “I’ve been on the ground in Georgia, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan,” he said.
“And I can tell you in no uncertain terms: this administration’s policy has been an abject failure. America cannot afford four more years of this.”
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