Obama insists Afghanistan war is ‘on track’ but warns of ‘difficult days ahead’

Citing "significant progress" in disrupting al Qaeda and dismantling the Taliban, President Obama on Thursday said the administration is sticking with its plan to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan next July.

But Obama somberly warned that the situation in Afghanistan "continues to be a very difficult endeavor" and comes at a "high price" for American troops and their families.

"The gains we've made are still fragile and reversible," Obama acknowledged in a statement to reporters. "There are more difficult days ahead."

The president's comments came as the White House released an annual policy review of the administration's plan for Afghanistan. The report insisted that the United States has made major gains in its goal of making sure Afghanistan doesn't become a "safe haven" for terrorists, but reported many challenges, especially when it comes to Pakistan's unwillingness to crack down on terrorists. (You can read the report here, courtesy of The Washington Post.)

Obama insisted Thursday his administration remains "on track to achieve our goals" but acknowledged that ultimately defeating al Qaeda is still a work in progress. "Al Qaeda is hunkered down. It will take time to hunt them down," Obama said, vowing his administration would "never waver" from that goal.

The policy review comes as polls find public support for the Afghan effort hitting new lows. A new ABC News/Washington Post poll finds a record 60 percent of Americans say the war in Afghanistan has not been worth fighting. Meanwhile, the poll finds American split on Obama's handling of the war: 45 percent approve, while 46 percent disapprove.

The numbers are even more dismal among Democrats: Just 25 percent of Dems say the war is worth fighting—down nearly 10 points since last summer.

(Photo of Joe Biden, Obama and Hillary Clinton by Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)