'We must co-ordinate our efforts' Obama tells Afghan, Pakistan leaders

After meeting with the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan, U.S. President Barack Obama called for more co-operationas the threemenmet in Washington on Wednesday to address numerous diplomatic issues.

The meeting was justthe latest step in a changing U.S. policy toward the region, Obama said. "Andthis[new] strategy reflects a fundamental truth that the security of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States are linked," hesaid.

Discussions with Afghan President Hamid Karzai included this week's alleged bombing of civilians after an American-led raid. Obamawants Afghanistan to step up its commitment to fight Taliban militants, who are growing in strength.

Obama also sought renewed commitment from Karzai to better co-ordinate operations with Pakistan and the U.S. The U.S. will expand its military presence in Afghanistan under Obama's revised war strategy against the Taliban.

At a newsconference following the meeting,Obama announced more than 21,000 U.S. troops would be deployed to Afghanistan to assist in training Afghan security forces.

Military aid was not the only item on the agenda. There was much discussion of how the United States can be of more assistance on a number of fronts throughout the region.

"I have asked Congress for sustained funding, to build schools and roads and hospitals,"Obamasaid.

Though he declined to discuss specific dollar figures, thepresident also hailed progress in"landmark trade agreements" to open Afghanistan and Pakistan's borders to more commerce.

There was speculation that offering U.S. troops to help in efforts to fight the Taliban inside Pakistan would be on the table, but Obama made no mention of any such discussions.

"What the U.S. wants to do is offer more support, maybe even some on-the-ground support," former U.S. special ambassador to Afghanistan Thomas Schweich told CBC News.

"But the Pakistani people are very conscious of the idea of American troops on their soil; they don't really want it," Schweich said.

Obama and his foreign policy and national security teammet separately and then with the two foreign leaders.

Nuclear concerns

The U.S. team also sought assurances from Zardari that his country's nuclear weapons are secure.

"The president is deeply concerned about the security situation," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday.

"That's why we're sending additional troops to Afghanistan and that's why we'll talk with both the Afghans and the Pakistanis about our renewed commitment in helping them seek the aid that they need to address those extremists."

Afghan bombing investigated

Another issue arose early Wednesday, when Karzai ordered an investigation into allegations by local officials that more than 30 civilians were killed in a bombing late Monday by U.S.-led troops battling militants in western Afghanistan.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said a team it sent to the area saw "dozens of bodies in each of the two locations," including women and children.

Karzai raised the issue of civilian deaths with Obama, and secured a commitment on that front from the U.S. president.

"The United States will make every effort to avoid civilian casualties as we help the Afghan government's combat our common enemy," Obama said on Wednesday.

The goal of Obama's meetings with Karzai and Zardari is to get Afghanistan and Pakistan to work together against a shared extremist threat to their countries.

They hope the message has weight coming straight from Obama, but the results will be measured by whether the outreach leads to concrete actions. That includes, for example, the degree to which the Pakistan army shows a sustained commitment to fighting extremists within its borders.

On Tuesday, the U.S. administration's point man for the region told legislators, who are considering a major boost in assistance to Pakistan $1.5 billion a year over five yearsthat "our most vital national security interests are at stake" in Pakistan.

Special envoy Richard Holbrooke insisted that Pakistan is not a "failed state," but is facing tremendous challenges that it acknowledges could affect the safety of the country's nuclear arsenal.

Holbrooke said the U.S. needs "to put the most heavy possible pressure on our friends in Pakistan to join us in the fight against the Taliban and its allies. We cannot succeed in Afghanistan without Pakistan's support and involvement."