Statement by the President on Afghanistan
The White House on Tuesday released a copy of the remarks President Obama made on Afghanistan.
The statement is shared here, unedited:
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
ON AFGHANISTAN
Rose Garden
2:46 P.M. EDT
THE
PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. As you know, this weekend, I
traveled to Afghanistan to thank our men and women in uniform and our
deployed
civilians, on behalf of a grateful nation, for the extraordinary
sacrifices they make on behalf of our security. I was also able to meet
with our commanding General and Ambassador to review the progress that
we’ve made. And today, I’d like to update the
American people on the way forward in Afghanistan and how, this year,
we will bring America’s longest war to a responsible end.
The
United States did not seek this fight. We went into Afghanistan out of
necessity, after our nation was attacked by al Qaeda on September 11th,
2001.
We went to war against al Qaeda and its extremist allies with the
strong support of the American people and their representatives in
Congress; with the international community and our NATO allies; and with
the Afghan people, who welcomed the opportunity
of a life free from the dark tyranny of extremism.
We
have now been in Afghanistan longer than many Americans expected. But
make no mistake -- thanks to the skill and sacrifice of our troops,
diplomats,
and intelligence professionals, we have struck significant blows
against al Qaeda’s leadership, we have eliminated Osama bin
Laden, and we have prevented Afghanistan from being used to launch
attacks against our homeland. We have also supported the
Afghan people as they continue the hard work of building a democracy.
We’ve extended more opportunities to their people, including women and
girls. And we’ve helped train and equip their own security forces.
Now
we’re finishing the job we started. Over the last several years, we’ve
worked to transition security responsibilities to the Afghans. One
year ago,
Afghan forces assumed the lead for combat operations. Since then,
they’ve continued to grow in size and in strength, while making huge
sacrifices for their country. This transition has allowed us to
steadily draw down our own forces -- from a peak of 100,000
U.S. troops, to roughly 32,000 today.
2014,
therefore, is a pivotal year. Together with our allies and the Afghan
government, we have agreed that this is the year we will conclude our
combat
mission in Afghanistan. This is also a year of political transition in
Afghanistan. Earlier this spring, Afghans turned out in the millions to
vote in the first round of their presidential election -- defying
threats in order to determine their own destiny.
And in just over two weeks, they will vote for their next President,
and Afghanistan will see its first democratic transfer of power in
history.
In
the context of this progress, having consulted with Congress and my
national security team, I’ve determined the nature of the commitment
that America
is prepared to make beyond 2014. Our objectives are clear: Disrupting
threats posed by al Qaeda; supporting Afghan security forces; and
giving the Afghan people the opportunity to succeed as they stand on
their own.
Here’s
how we will pursue those objectives. First, America’s combat mission
will be over by the end of this year. Starting next year, Afghans will
be
fully responsible for securing their country. American personnel will
be in an advisory role. We will no longer patrol Afghan cities or
towns, mountains or valleys. That is a task for the Afghan people.
Second,
I’ve made it clear that we’re open to cooperating with Afghans on two
narrow missions after 2014: training Afghan forces and supporting
counterterrorism
operations against the remnants of al Qaeda.
Today,
I want to be clear about how the United States is prepared to advance
those missions. At the beginning of 2015, we will have approximately
98,000
U.S. -- let me start that over, just because I want to make sure we
don’t get this written wrong. At the beginning of 2015, we will have
approximately 9,800 U.S. servicemembers in different parts of the
country, together with our NATO allies and other partners.
By the end of 2015, we will have reduced that presence by roughly half,
and we will have consolidated our troops in Kabul and on Bagram
Airfield. One year later, by the end of 2016, our military will draw
down to a normal embassy presence in Kabul, with a
security assistance component, just as we’ve done in Iraq.
Now,
even as our troops come home, the international community will continue
to support Afghans as they build their country for years to come. But
our
relationship will not be defined by war -- it will be shaped by our
financial and development assistance, as well as our diplomatic
support. Our commitment to Afghanistan is rooted in the strategic
partnership that we agreed to in 2012. And this plan remains
consistent with discussions we’ve had with our NATO allies. Just as
our allies have been with us every step of the way in Afghanistan, we
expect that our allies will be with us going forward.
Third,
we will only sustain this military presence after 2014 if the Afghan
government signs the Bilateral Security Agreement that our two
governments
have already negotiated. This Agreement is essential to give our
troops the authorities they need to fulfill their mission, while
respecting Afghan sovereignty. The two final Afghan candidates in the
run-off election for President have each indicated that
they would sign this agreement promptly after taking office. So I’m
hopeful that we can get this done.
The
bottom line is, it’s time to turn the page on more than a decade in
which so much of our foreign policy was focused on the wars in
Afghanistan and
Iraq. When I took office, we had nearly 180,000 troops in harm’s way.
By the end of this year, we will have less than 10,000. In addition to
bringing our troops home, this new chapter in American foreign policy
will allow us to redirect some of the resources
saved by ending these wars to respond more nimbly to the changing
threat of terrorism, while addressing a broader set of priorities around
the globe.
I
think Americans have learned that it’s harder to end wars than it is to
begin them. Yet this is how wars end in the 21st century -- not
through signing
ceremonies, but through decisive blows against our adversaries,
transitions to elected governments, security forces who take the lead
and ultimately full responsibility. We remain committed to a sovereign,
secure, stable, and unified Afghanistan. And toward
that end, we will continue to support Afghan-led efforts to promote
peace in their country through reconciliation. We have to recognize
that Afghanistan will not be a perfect place, and it is not America’s
responsibility to make it one. The future of Afghanistan
must be decided by Afghans. But what the United States can do -- what
we will do -- is secure our interests and help give the Afghans a
chance, an opportunity to seek a long, overdue and hard-earned peace.
America
will always keep our commitments to friends and partners who step up,
and we will never waver in our determination to deny al Qaeda the safe
haven
that they had before 9/11. That commitment is embodied by the men and
women in and out of uniform who serve in Afghanistan today and who have
served in the past. In their eyes, I see the character that sustains
American security and our leadership abroad.
These are mostly young people who did not hesitate to volunteer in a
time of war. And as many of them begin to transition to civilian life,
we will keep the promise we make to them and to all veterans, and make
sure they get the care and benefits that they
have earned and deserve.
This
9/11 Generation is part of an unbroken line of heroes who give up the
comfort of the familiar to serve a half a world away -- to protect their
families
and communities back home, and to give people they never thought they’d
meet the chance to live a better life. It’s an extraordinary sacrifice
for them and for their families. But we shouldn’t be surprised that
they’re willing to make it. That’s who we
are as Americans. That’s what we do.
Tomorrow,
I will travel to West Point and speak to America’s newest class of
military officers to discuss how Afghanistan fits into our broader
strategy
going forward. And I’m confident that if we carry out this approach,
we can not only responsibly end our war in Afghanistan and achieve the
objectives that took us to war in the first place, we’ll also be able to
begin a new chapter in the story of American
leadership around the world.
Thanks very much.
END 2:58 P.M. EDT
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