‘U.S. to make sure Afghanistan is not safe haven for al-Qaeda’

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs seen with Commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan in Washington on Monday. Photo: AP

The United States and its international partners are in Afghanistan to make sure that the country is not used as a safe haven by al Qaeda and its allied terrorist organisation, the White House has said.

“We are there to ensure the safety and security of our people after the safety and security of our people were threatened by what happened on 9/11. That’s why we’re there,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters at his daily press briefing yesterday.

The international community is there because there have been attacks all over the world by these terrorist organisations, Mr. Gibbs said.

“There’s an international component to this (US presence in Afghanistan), because the attacks that were planned when the Taliban had an area that allowed al Qaeda to plan what happened on September 11th -- obviously that occurred in the United States,” he said in response to a question.

“There are things that we’re doing in Afghanistan through, again, an international security force, to ensure that al Qaeda does not have a safe haven with which to plan attacks on our country, or countries around the world,” Mr. Gibbs said.

US President Barack Obama has talked about people who have distorted one of the world’s great religions into believing that terrorism and violence is the answer.

“I’m talking about some who have corrupted that great religion, yes -- certainly not everybody and not everybody by a long shot,” he said.