Obama sticks to timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan

But he warned the war will remain a "very difficult endeavour".

Heralding a review of his war strategy at its anniversary, Obama said yesterday the goal was not to defeat every threat to Afghanistan's security or build up the nation. Rather, he said, the United States continues to shed blood to dismantle the al-Qaida network and push back the Taliban.

"We are on track to achieve our goals," Obama said from the White House.

But he added that progress has not come fast enough in Pakistan, where terrorists find safe haven.

The President warned that the gains over the last year – which have come at the cost of more US troop deaths that at any time during the war – are fragile and reversible.

Obama's words and the report's findings underscore that his war plan is here to stay. The goal is for the US-led coalition of nations to turn over control of Afghan security by the end of 2014, which means that US troops will remain at war there for at least four years.

The pace and scope of the US troop withdrawal is unclear. "We don't know at this point," Defence Secretary Robert Gates told reporters, saying he hoped the pace would accelerate based on local conditions.

There are now roughly 100,000 US troops in Afghanistan, as well as 40,000 from Nato allies.

A defining issue in the months ahead will be the degree to which the United States can get Pakistan's co-operation in rooting out the terrorists within its borders.

"In short, al-Qaida is hunkered down," the president said. "It will take time to ultimately defeat al Qaida and it remains a ruthless and resilient enemy bent on attacking our country. But make no mistake. We are going to remain relentless in disrupting and dismantling that terrorist organisation."

The White House had earlier released a five-page summary of the classified evaluation of the war strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan that Obama unveiled to much fanfare in December 2009.

It says the senior leadership of al-Qaida in Pakistan is at it weakest since the September 11, 2001, attacks and that the Taliban has seen much of its power halted and reversed over the past 12 months.

The review report came as seven militants were said to have been killed by a US missile strike in north-western Pakistan. Intelligence officials said the missiles hit a vehicle in the Khyber region.