Obama warns against rush for exits in Afghanistan

President Barack Obama on Monday warned against a rush for the exits in Afghanistan, as questions mount about US war strategy after a US soldier killed 16 civilians in a shooting rampage.Its important for us to make sure that we get out in responsible way, so that we dont end up having to go back in, Obama said in an interview with Pittsburgh CBS station KDKA.But what we dont want to do, is to do it in a way that is just a rush for the exits.Obama said the shooting rampage, which mostly targeted women and children, was absolutely heartbreaking and tragic, but stressed that a withdrawal from Afghanistan involving tens of thousands of troops had to be done responsibly.We have got hundreds of advisers in civilian areas as well, we have got huge amounts of equipment that have to be moved out. We have got to make sure that the Afghans can protect their borders to prevent Al-Qaeda coming back.In a separate interview with Denver CBS affiliate KCNC Obama added that it was important for us just to make sure that we are not ... in Afghanistan longer than we need to be.The White House had earlier insisted that its Afghan strategy would not be impacted by the awful rampage.Our strategic objectives have not changed and they will not change, said White House spokesman Jay Carney, adding the US goal remained defeating Al-Qaeda and empowering Afghans to ensure their own security.Obama is committed to gradually withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan under an agreement with NATO partners which foresees a full drawdown by the end of 2014.But a string of incidents, including Sundays massacre, killing of coalition forces by Afghan troops and riots that followed the burning of Korans by US soldiers has some observers questioning the viability of US strategy.