US President Barack Obama is scheduled to hold a crucial meeting of his key advisors on Afghanistan in the White House early on Thursday morning.
The meeting is being held in the backdrop of Obama receiving reports on the current situation in the country and recommendations on the way forward from several of his key officials including General Stanley McChrystal, the Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
To be attended by Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defence Secretary Robert Gates and Special US Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke, the meeting is expected to deliberate on the new strategy on Afghanistan, which the US President is expected to announce soon.
Among other participants of the meeting are Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staf Admiral Michael Mullen, US Central Command chief General David Petraeus, US Commander in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal, Director of National Intelligence Admiral Dennis Blair, CIA Director Leon Panetta, US Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry and National Security Advisor General James Jones.
With Pakistan being a key part of the Administration's Afghan strategy, US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson too has been invited to the meeting.