Since December, 2009 when the new US strategy for Afghanistan was made public by President Obama – deployment of tens of thousands of more troops in Afghanistan during 2010 and gradual withdrawal of international forces from the summer 2011 – there have been serious concerns over premature drawdown of troops as insurgency has gone multiplying with each passing year and the competency of Afghan national police and army is in critical doubts.

In the last ten years more than 2500 coalitions forces have been killed and billions of dollars have been invested on war but the results are quite annoying for the people of Afghanistan and NATO countries with the war having no clear prospective. Another concern is the low capability of Afghan forces, inadequate equipments available to them and infiltration of Taliban into their ranks. Keeping the situation prevailing in Afghanistan in view, one can, with confidence, say this country requires long-term military and non-military engagement of international community and announcements to withdraw forces can only benefit the morale of terrorists. In a recent interview with the Daily Telegraph , General James Bucknall - deputy to US General David Petraeus in Afghanistan has expressed concerns over significant withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan before the end of 2012. Also General Bucknall said the coalition had to hold on to recent gains, and should not send "conflicting signals" about its commitment. According to him, the number of troops deployed in Afghanistan could be cut this year by trimming roles such as cooks and engineers.

The plan to withdraw international troops from Afghanistan at a time when security is at its lowest level and the gains of NATO against Taliban in south Afghanistan are completely fragile, would only lead this country towards further insecurity. The West should also follow its strategy with consistency for elimination of terrorist as the beneficiary of any coordination and cooperation barriers will be the Taliban. Security has deteriorated even the first seven areas nominated to be handed over to the Afghan control this year. Without having addressed the terrorism in this part of world, peace cannot prevail in the region and beyond. Therefore, utmost efforts should be put to defeat terrorism and extremism in all its forms and shapes.