US elections have little impact on Afghan policy

KABUL - The White House will not change the strategy on Afghanistan and the war on terror no matter who wins the US presidential elections on Tuesday, Afghan analysts believe.

The US presidential elections come on the occasion of financial crisis, increasing unemployment, tiring war in Afghanistan and, above all, the economic aftermath of the devastating Hurricane Sandy.

"No doubt the coming election is an important event for the Americans. However, it would not have a particular impact on the situation in Afghanistan," Nazari Pariani, editor-in-chief of a local popular newspaper Daily Mandegar, told Xinhua.

The US foreign policy is based on the US interests, he said, adding it makes no difference who rules the White House.

"Both candidates are under public pressure to leave Afghanistan or at least withdraw a large portion of troops and end the combat role of US troops in Afghanistan," former parliamentarian Mohammad Daud Sultanzoy told Xinhua.

President Barack Obama has promised to withdraw his troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014; while his Republican rival Mitt Romney supported troops pullout, reportedly noting that he would listen to military commanders advice in this regard.

Sultanzoy stressed that no matter who wins the elections, the next president will face the challenges of war on terror as the Taliban militants continue fighting and their safe havens still exist in Pakistan's lawless tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan.

Nonetheless, both observers were cautiously predicting the chance in Obama's favor because he was credited for the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden and the pullout strategy.