Obama optimistic over end to Afghan war

PRESIDENT Barack Obama offered Americans an optimistic assessment of the Afghanistan war yesterday, even as US spy agencies and aid groups express doubts about the progress amid worsening violence.

Obama, under pressure to show results after criticising his predecessor George W Bush for neglecting the war, said the United States was on track to start pulling out troops next July as planned.

His defence secretary, Robert Gates, said it was too early to say how quickly troops would be withdrawn, but Washington hoped to accelerate the drawdown as more progress was made.