Bush vows to continue support for Afghanistan

President Bush promised unwavering support Monday for Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and his efforts to defeat a revival of Taliban militancy that has led to increased violence and worsening security.

Bush said his two days of meetings with Karzai at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland focused on security concerns, the rebuilding of Afghanistan and dealing with the growth of narcotics trafficking. He said the Afghans are taking charge of their own destiny.

"The Afghan army is in the fight," said Bush at a news conference with Karzai on Monday morning.

"Our enemy's still there, defeated, but still hiding in the mountains," Karzai said. "And our duty is to complete the job, to get them out of their hide-outs in the mountains and bring justice to the people of Afghanistan."

Bush and Karzai said a key component of the fight against extremists will be a meeting involving Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Karzai and tribal leaders from both countries.

The Camp David summit comes just before the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taliban regime that gave sanctuary to al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. He remains at large and may be hiding in the remote region of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Asked whether the U.S. would take military steps inside Pakistan if there was solid information about al-Qaida leaders, Bush said he is "confident that with actionable intelligence, we'll be able to bring top al-Qaida to justice." The U.S., he said, is "in constant communications with the Pakistan government."

The talks also included Karzai's complaints about high civilian casualties stemming from U.S. and NATO-led attacks, and the next steps in handling the capture of Korean hostages by the Taliban. Two of the 23 captives have been killed since the group was seized on July 19.

A purported Taliban spokesman said Monday that the Islamist militia will keep kidnapping foreigners in Afghanistan. Qari Yousef Ahmadi said the lives of the 21 hostages rest in the hands of Karzai and Bush.

The Taliban have demanded the release of militant prisoners held by Afghanistan and at the U.S. base at Bagram, but the Afghan government has all but ruled out that option.

At Camp David, Karzai and Bush agreed that "there should be no quid pro quo" that could embolden the Taliban, said Gordon Johndroe, a Bush spokesman.

Karzai's government has been backed with the help of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and U.S. military and economic aid to build roads, reduce infant mortality rates and restore schools.

About $10 billion in U.S. economic aid is planned this year.

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.