Taliban seen firmly established

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama's advisers say the Afghan Taliban are so firmly entrenched, it is unrealistic to believe they can be eliminated, officials said.

Administration officials participating in the policy review meetings on Afghanistan this week told The Washington Post the conclusion is that however many U.S. troops are put one the ground, the Taliban cannot be uprooted as a political or military force in that country.

The goal, the officials told newspaper, should be to weaken the Taliban to the point they cannot threaten the Afghan government or re-establish sanctuaries for al-Qaida.

The Post reported such a goal and its objectives would be in line with the assessment of U.S. Afghan commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal. In that assessment, the general said the strategy "cannot be focused on seizing terrain or destroying insurgent forces" but on convincing the Afghans to support the government. The general's assessment also recommends an additional 40,000 troops in Afghanistan.

"The Taliban is a deeply rooted political movement in Afghanistan, so that requires a different approach than al-Qaida," a senior administration official who has participated in the meetings told the Post.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Thursday "there is clearly a difference between" the Taliban and al-Qaida, which seeks "to strike the U.S. homeland," the report said.