'War on terror limping in Afghanistan, Pakistan'

The 9/11 commission's report, released on Thursday, described Afghanistan as the incubator for al-Qaeda and for the September 11, 2001 attacks, noting that the country must not become a sanctuary again for international crime and terrorism.

Security and political analysts said Washington had been unable to root out the terror threat from the region and bring real stability to Afghanistan, where Taliban fighters and their Islamic militant allies carry out deadly attacks almost daily.

"The war on terrorism is being lost by the Western alliance. al-Qaeda and their local allies today are much stronger in Pakistan," author and Afghan expert Ahmed Rashid told Reuters.

He added that the Taliban were stronger in Afghanistan than at any time since their ouster to US-led forces in late 2001.

"The Taliban are determined to disrupt the elections. Iraq has diverted the Western military intelligence resources that should have sustained a long-term and consistent counter-terrorism strategy in this region," he said.

The commission report noted there was continuing controversy about whether military operations in Iraq had any effect on the scale of US commitment to the future of Afghanistan.

"We welcome the emphasis of the 9/11 report on the fact that long term and sustained support is essential in the fight against terrorism," said Afghan presidential spokesman Jawed Ludin.

"The work we have started in Afghanistan is not only the war against terrorism, but also a political and reconstruction process," he said in Kabul.

Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman said Islamabad also welcomed the recommendation of the commission that Washington should give more assistance to Pakistan, and for praising President Pervez Musharraf's efforts to curb Islamic militancy.