Obama unveils new strategies to defeat al Qaeda, Taliban

President Barack Obama says the US will adopt new tactics for defeating al Qaeda and the Taliban-led insurgency in Afghanistan, including broader diplomatic engagement, the deployment of 4,000 more troops and new reconstruction efforts.Announcing his much-awaited comprehensive rethink of US strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan Friday, US President Barack Obama said emphasis will be placed on training and bolstering the Afghan army so that it could take the lead in securing the war-torn country.In a televised address from the White House, Obama warned that the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan was getting “increasingly perilous” and he called on the international community to work together to try to secure the region. "The world cannot afford the price that will come due if Afghanistan slides back into chaos or al Qaeda operates unchecked," he said.Flanked by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, Obama said he is sending another 4,000 troops to Afghanistan - in addition to the 17,000 extra troops he announced earlier this year. The US was also boosting the number of civilian specialists it was sending to the region, Obama said.The focus of the US personnel in Afghanistan would be to train and expand the Afghan army so that it could “eventually take the lead in securing their country,” he said.