Obama wants Afghanistan 'exit strategy'

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 (UPI) -- The White House Thursday stressed the need for an exit strategy from Afghanistan and said U.S. success there would depend on a strong Afghan government.

"An exit strategy is as important as ramping up troops," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters aboard Air Force One. "It's important to fully examine not just how we're going to get folks in but how we're going to get folks out."

President Barack Obama has insisted Afghanistan root out corruption, ensure effective governance and strengthen the Afghan military.

"Our success in Afghanistan is most dependent on the Afghan government being a true partner," Gibbs said.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the United States needs to "signal resolve and at the same time signal to the Afghans as well as the American people that this is not an open-ended commitment."

The statements came a day after reports Obama had rejected four Afghanistan war options presented to him at the White House. Gates told reporters Thursday the president sought a combination including the "best features of several of the options to maximum good effect," The New York Times reported.

U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry, who participated in Wednesday's White House meeting by teleconference, advised against a troop surge and questioned whether Afghan leaders could be effective partners.

Obama is not expected to decide on the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan until after his return from Asia late next week.

"This has been a very rigorous and deliberative process ... to get the best decision possible," Gibbs said.

"The president outlined the way we would go about making this decision, and that's what he's stuck to. He understands that the key is getting this decision right. And I think he believes, and I think, quite frankly, the participants from (Wednesday's meeting) believe, we've made progress doing that."