Washington, Oct 06, SPA -- The White House said today thatPresident Barack Obama considers it «tremendouslyimportant» to listen to Congress about the flagging war inAfghanistan but will not base his decisions on the moodamong lawmakers or eroding American public support for thewar, according to AP. «The president is going to make a decision _ popular orunpopular _ based on what he thinks is in the bestinterests of the country,» press secretary Robert Gibbstold reporters. As for support from lawmakers, Gibbs saidObama is focused on getting his war strategy right, not on«who's for or who's against what.» Obama met at the White House with leaders of key waroversight and appropriations committees from both partiesin the House and Senate. The session was part of a reviewof the war effort in Afghanistan and Pakistan that isexpected to last several more weeks. A core question is whether Obama will widen the war againafter adding 21,000 U.S. troops earlier this year. The topthree U.S. military officials overseeing the war favorcontinuing the fight against an emboldened Taliban and haveconcluded they need tens of thousands more U.S. troopsbeyond the 68,000 already there. The White House has cautioned for weeks that no decisionon troops will come until Obama has reviewed all elementsof the war effort. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/706500