US to focus on special operations to fight al-Qaida

The United States will push ahead with more targeted drone strikes and special operations raids and fewer costly land battles like Iraq and Afghanistan in the continuing war against al-Qaida, says a new counter-terrorism strategy.

The doctrine, two years in the making, comes in the wake of the successful special operations raid that killed al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden in May, and a week after President Barack Obama's announcement that US troops will begin leaving Afghanistan this summer.