US feels Taliban poses lesser threat than al-Qaeda

Washington, Oct 9 (PTI) United States feels that
Taliban poses a lesser threat to American security than
al-Qaeda, the White House said here Friday, as media reported
that the Obama administration has concluded that Taliban
cannot be eliminated in Afghanistan.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs sought to make a
clear differentiation between Taliban and al-Qaeda as he said
al-Qaeda was an "entity that, through a global jihadist
network would seek to strike the US homeland".

"I think the Taliban are, obviously, exceedingly bad
people that have done awful things," Gibbs said. "Their
capability is somewhat different, though, on that continuum of
transnational threats," he added.

Gibbs remarks comes as Obama is intensely engaged in a
intense Afghan policy review and raise speculations that the
US President might not opt for increasing US troops in the
war-torn country.

The spokesman ruled out any reduction in US forces in
Afghanistan but said, the President was yet to make any firm
decision.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post reported that the Obama
administration has concluded that the Taliban cannot be
eliminated as a political or military movement, regardless of
how many combat forces are sent into battle.

US officials, Post said, are now veering to the point
to weaken the Taliban to the degree that it cannot challenge
the Afghan government or reestablish the haven it provided for
al-Qaeda before the 2001 US invasion. PTI