Worried US steps up heat on homegrown terrorists

In its new National Security Strategy, the US will make homegrown extremism an integral part of its counter-terror policy as it specifically named Al Qaeda and its affiliates as its "adversaries".

The strategy to be unveiled by President Barack Obama, for the first time focuses on home grown extremists who turn to Islamic radicalism in America and warns of dangers of nuclear proliferation.

The goal of the new strategy while not repudiating President George Bush's pre-emptive policy on terrorism seeks to eliminate the need for the US to strike first or take unilateral military action.

Vowing to delegitimise terrorism, the new strategy says that Washington will act decisively to isolate "those who carry out terror acts".

While saying that "yet this is not a global war against a tactic - terrorism - or a religion Islam," the new strategy says that US is at war with a specific network Al Qaeda and its terrorist affiliates who support efforts to attack the US, our allies and partners.

With Al Qaeda and its affiliates recruiting American citizens to carry out attacks in the country, the new strategy for the first time adds combating homegrown terrorism to be its new focus.

Though the document would be officially released tomorrow, US media carried out excerpts of it. Some of the unclassified portions were made public today.

Admitting that the number of attempted terror strikes on the US had surpassed the previous year's figures, the new strategy intended to guide US military and diplomatic policy for years to come puts focus on homegrown extremists and
emphasises on building more allies to tackle terrorism.

It calls for tough engagement "without illusions" with America's foes like North Korea and Iran. The strategy will ask these nuclear states to accept diplomatic engagement or face deep isolation.

"Both nations face a clear choice. If they ignore their international obligations, we will pursue multiple plans to increase their isolation and bring them into compliance with the NPT," the document said.

The release of the new document comes as US still has a huge foreign military commitment in Iraq and Afghanistan and the nation faces new terror threats.

The new strategy says US will maintain its military superiority, which must be matched by muscular diplomacy and a vibrant international intelligence inflow.