Terror network in Af-Pak has to be dismantled: Obama

President Barack Obama said the US wants Pakistan to become a more effective partner in the war against terrorism to be able to dismantle the terror network active on the Af-Pak border. Acknowledging that achieving the goal of defeating al Qaeda and its extremist allies is a difficult process, Obama said it was important to target al-Qaeda's affiliates in Af-Pak region as they offer them safe harbour. We went there (Afghanistan) because the Taliban were harbouring Al Qaeda, which had launched an attack that killed 3,000 Americans. Al Qaeda escaped capture, and they set up in the border regions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Obama told reporters at a White House news conference. He said al Qaeda has affiliates that not only provide them safe harbour, but increasingly are willing to conduct their own terrorist operations, initially in Afghanistan and in Pakistan, but increasingly directed against western targets and targets of US allies as well. It is a difficult process... we've also got to work with Pakistan so that they are more effective partners in dealing with extremists that are within their borders, Obama said. He said it is absolutely critical that the United States and its international partners dismantle that network of extremists that are willing to attack it. He said the US is going to strengthen the capacity of the Afghan military.