Senator Murphy: US-Afghan partnership 'strong'

In an address to a joint session of the US Congress, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani spoke of the profound debt his country owes his American allies. He also warned of future threats like that posed by Islamic State.

The address was a show of renewed solidarity with the US; a contrast to the more difficult relationship held by his predecessor, Hamid Karzi.

Democratic Senator Christopher Murphy, who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, welcomed the collaboration between President Ghani and President Obama and the US decision to keep a remainder of forces in Afghanistan through 2015, but warned stability in the country depends on more than military support alone.

"We've got to be economic partners as well as military partners," he told the BBC's Laura Trevelyan.