Video of
President Obama's Remarks in Afghanistan on March 28,
2010
----------------------------------------------------
Remarks by the
President to the Troops
Clamshell,
Bagram Airfield
March 28, 2010 11:13 P.M. (Local Afghan Time)
THE PRESIDENT: How’s it going, Bagram?
(Applause.) Well, you know, it turns out that the
American people, they let me use this plane called Air
Force One. And so I thought I’d come over and say
hello. (Applause.)
Couple of people I want to thank, in addition to
Sergeant Major Eric Johnson for the outstanding
introduction and his great service. I want to thank
Major General Mike Scaparrotti. (Applause.) Thank you
for your great work as commanding general. I want to
thank Ms. Dawn Liberi, who is the senior civilian
representative of Regional Command East, for her
outstanding work; and Brigadier General Steven Kwast,
commander -- (applause) -- commander 455th Air
Expeditionary Wing. Thank you all for your outstanding
service. Give them a big round of applause.
(Applause.)
Thank you for the unbelievable welcome. I know this
was on a little bit of short notice.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: No worries.
THE PRESIDENT: No worries. (Laughter.) It is great
to be here at Bagram, and it’s great to see all
the services. We’ve got Air Force, we’ve got
Army -- (applause) -- we’ve got Navy --
(applause) -- we’ve got some Marines in the
house. (Applause.) And we’ve got a lot of
civilians here too -- (applause) -- who are making an
outstanding contribution to this effort, and I’m
honored to be joined by America’s outstanding
civilian military leadership team here in Afghanistan,
Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, who’s doing
outstanding work, and the commander of our 43-nation
coalition, General Stan McChrystal. The two of them
together have paired up to do an extraordinarily
difficult task, but they are doing it extraordinarily
well and we are proud of them. Please give your
outstanding team a big round of applause. They’ve
got my full confidence and my full support.
(Applause.)
We’re also joined by troops from some of our
coalition partners, because this is not simply an
American mission or even just a NATO mission. Al Qaeda
and their extremist allies are a threat to the people
of Afghanistan and a threat to the people of America,
but they’re also a threat to people all around
the world, and that’s why we’re so proud to
have our coalition partners here with us. Thank you
very much for the great work that you do. We salute
you and we honor you for all the sacrifices you make,
and you are a true friend of the United States of
America. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
And we also salute the members of the Afghan
National Army who are fighting alongside all of you.
They’re risking their lives to protect their
country. And as I told President Karzai today, the
United States is a partner but our intent is to make
sure that the Afghans have the capacity to provide for
their own security. That is core to our mission, and
we are proud of the work that they are doing and the
continuing increased capacity that we’re seeing
out of Afghan national security forces. So thank you
very much for the great work you’re doing to take
responsibility for security here in your own
country.
And to the Afghan people, I want to say that
I’m honored to be a guest in your country. Now,
the Afghans have suffered for decades -- decades of
war. But we are here to help Afghans forge a hard-won
peace while realizing the extraordinary potential of
the Afghan people, Afghanistan’s sons and
daughters, from the soldiers and the police to the
farmers and the young students. And we want to build a
lasting partnership founded upon mutual interests and
mutual respect, and I’m looking forward to
returning to Afghanistan many times in the years to
come.
Now, I know for most of you, you didn’t get a
lot of notice that I was coming. But I want you to
understand, there’s no visit that I considered
more important than this visit I’m making right
now, because I have no greater honor than serving as
your Commander-in-Chief. And it is a privilege to look
out and see the extraordinary efforts of
America’s sons and daughters here in Afghanistan.
So my main job here today is to say thank you on
behalf of the entire American people. (Applause.)
You are part of the finest military in the history
of the world, and we are proud of you. And so I want
you to know that everybody back home is proud of you.
Everybody back home is grateful. And everybody
understands the sacrifices that you have made and your
families have made to keep America safe and to keep
America secure in this vital mission.
And I know it’s not easy. You’re far away
from home. You miss your kids. You miss your spouses,
your family, your friends. Some of you, this is your
second or your third or your fourth tour of duty.
I’ll tell you right now the same thing that I
said at West Point last December. If I thought for a
minute that America’s vital interests were not
served, were not at stake here in Afghanistan, I would
order all of you home right away.
So I want you to know, I want every American
serving in Afghanistan, military and civilian, to
know, whether you’re working the flight line here
at Bagram or patrolling a village down in Helmand,
whether you’re standing watch at a forward
operating base or training our Afghan partners or
working with the Afghan government, your services are
absolutely necessary, absolutely essential to
America’s safety and security. Those folks back
home are relying on you.
We can’t forget why we’re here. We did
not choose this war. This was not an act of America
wanting to expand its influence; of us wanting to
meddle in somebody else’s business. We were
attacked viciously on 9/11. Thousands of our fellow
countrymen and women were killed. And this is the
region where the perpetrators of that crime, al Qaeda,
still base their leadership. Plots against our
homeland, plots against our allies, plots against the
Afghan and Pakistani people are taking place as we
speak right here. And if this region slides backwards,
if the Taliban retakes this country and al Qaeda can
operate with impunity, then more American lives will
be at stake. The Afghan people will lose their chance
at progress and prosperity. And the world will be
significantly less secure.
And as long as I’m your Commander-in-Chief, I
am not going to let that happen. That’s why you
are here. I’ve made a promise to all of you who
serve. I will never send you into harm’s way
unless it’s absolutely necessary. I anguish in
thinking about the sacrifices that so many of you
make. That’s why I promise I will never send you
out unless it is necessary.
But that’s only part of the promise, because
the other part of the promise is that when it is
absolutely necessary, you will be backed up by a clear
mission and the right strategy to finish the job, to
get the job done. And I am confident all of you are
going to get the job done right here in Afghanistan. I
am confident of that. (Applause.)
That’s why I ordered more troops and civilians
here into Afghanistan shortly after taking office.
That’s why we took a hard look and forged a new
strategy and committed more resources in December.
That’s why we pushed our friends and allies and
partners to pony up more resources themselves, more
commitments of aid, and additional forces and
trainers.
Our broad mission is clear: We are going to disrupt
and dismantle, defeat and destroy al Qaeda and its
extremist allies. That is our mission. And to
accomplish that goal, our objectives here in
Afghanistan are also clear: We’re going to deny
al Qaeda safe haven. We’re going to reverse the
Taliban’s momentum. We’re going to
strengthen the capacity of Afghan security forces and
the Afghan government so that they can begin taking
responsibility and gain confidence of the Afghan
people.
And our strategy includes a military effort that
takes the fight to the Taliban while creating the
conditions for greater security and a transition to
the Afghans; but also a civilian effort that improves
the daily lives of the Afghan people, and combats
corruption; and a partnership with Pakistan and its
people, because we can’t uproot extremists and
advance security and opportunity unless we succeed on
both sides of the border. Most of you understand
that.
Many of the troops that I ordered to Afghanistan
have begun to arrive, and more are on the way. And
we’ll continue to work with Congress to make sure
that you’ve got the equipment that you need,
particularly as we complete our drawdown in Iraq.
We’re providing more helicopters, we’re
providing more intelligence and reconnaissance
capabilities, more special operations forces, more
armored vehicles that can save lives.
And here in Afghanistan you’ve gone on the
offensive. And the American people back home are
noticing. We have seen a huge increase in support in
-- stateside, because people understand the kinds of
sacrifices that you guys are making, and the clarity
of mission that you’re bringing to bear.
And together with our coalition and Afghan
partners, our troops have pushed the Taliban out of
their stronghold in Marja. We’ve changed the way
we operate and interact with the Afghan people. We see
Afghans reclaiming their communities, and we see new
partnerships that will help them build their own
future and increase their security.
And across the border, Pakistan is mounting major
offensives. We’ve seen violent extremists pushed
out of their sanctuaries. We’ve struck major
blows against al Qaeda leadership as well as the
Taliban’s. They are hunkered down. They’re
worried about their own safety. It’s harder for
them to move, it’s harder for them to train and
to plot and to attack, and all of that makes America
safer. And we are going to keep them on the run
because that is what’s going to be required in
order to assure that our families back home have the
security that they need. That’s the work that you
are doing.
So thanks to you, there’s been progress these
last several months. But we know there are going to be
some difficult days ahead. There’s going to be
setbacks. We face a determined enemy. But we also know
this: The United States of America does not quit once
it starts on something. (Applause.) You don’t
quit, the American armed services does not quit, we
keep at it, we persevere, and together with our
partners we will prevail. I am absolutely confident of
that. (Applause.)
And I also want you to know that as you’re
doing your duty here, we’re going to do right by
you back home. We’re going to help take care of
your families, and that’s why the First Lady
Michelle Obama visited with military families and
makes sure that their needs are met. That’s why
she stays after me once she gets home, when I’m
at the White House. And we’re going to make sure
that we are keeping to improve your pay and your
benefits, but also things like childcare and support
that ensure that you’ve got a little bit of
security knowing your family is being looked after
back home.
And we’ll be there for your when you come
home. It’s why we’re improving care for our
wounded warriors, especially those with PTSD and
traumatic brain injuries. We’re moving forward
with the Post-9/11 GI Bill so you and your families
can pursue your dreams. And we’ve made the
biggest increase in the VA budget in 30 years, because
we’re going to keep our sacred trust with all
those who serve.
You’ve been there for us, tour after tour,
year after year, at a time when too many American
institutions have let us down, when too many
institutions have put short-term gain in front of a
commitment to duty and a commitment to what’s
right. You’ve met your responsibilities,
you’ve done your duty -- not just when it’s
easy. That’s why you’ve inspired your fellow
Americans. That’s why you inspire me. That’s
why you’ve earned your place next to the very
greatest of American generations.
And all of you represent the virtues and the values
that America so desperately needs right now: sacrifice
and selflessness, honor and decency. That’s why
you’re here today. That’s what you
represent.
I’ve seen your sense of purpose and your
willingness to step forward and serve in a time of
danger. I’ve seen it from the Marines I’ve
met at Camp Lejeune to the cadets at West Point, from
the midshipmen at Annapolis to the troops I’ve
met in Iraq, and at bases across America and here in
Afghanistan. I’ve seen your courage and your
heroism and the story of a young Sergeant First Class
named Jared Monti who gave his life here in
Afghanistan to save his fellow soldiers and his
parents. I was proud to present with our nation’s
highest military declaration, the Medal of Honor.
I’ve seen your tenacity -- (applause) --
I’ve seen your tenacity and determination in our
wounded warriors in Landstuhl and Walter Reed --
Americans fighting to stand again and to walk again
and to get back with -- get back with their units;
incredible dedication, incredible focus, incredible
pride. And I’ve been humbled by your sacrifice
and the solemn homecoming of flag-draped coffins at
Dover, to the headstones in Section 60 at Arlington
where the fallen from this war rest in peace alongside
the fellow heroes of America’s story.
So here in Afghanistan each one of you is part of
an unbroken line of American servicemembers
who’ve sacrificed for over two centuries.
You’re protecting your fellow citizens from
danger. You’re serving alongside old allies and
new friends. You’re bringing hope and opportunity
to a people who have known a lot of pain and a lot of
suffering.
And I know that sometimes when you’re watching
TV, the politics back home may look a little messy,
and people are yelling and hollering, and Democrats
this and Republicans that. I want you to understand
this: There’s no daylight when it comes to
support of all of you. There’s no daylight when
it comes to supporting our troops. That brings us
together. We are all incredibly proud. We all honor
what you do. And all of you show all of America
what’s possible when people come together, not
based on color or creed, not based on faith or
station, but based on a commitment to serve together,
to bleed together and to succeed together as one
people, as Americans.
Make no mistake, this fight matters to us. It
matters to us, it matters to our allies, it matters to
the Afghan people. Al Qaeda and the violent extremists
who you’re fighting against want to destroy. But
all of you want to build -- and that is something
essential about America. They’ve got no respect
for human life. You see dignity in every human being.
That’s part of what we value as Americans. They
want to drive races and regions and religions apart.
You want to bring people together and see the world
move forward together. They offer fear, in other
words, and you offer hope.
And that’s why it is so important that you
know that the entire country stands behind you.
That’s why you put on that uniform, because in an
uncertain world, the United States of America will
always stand up for the security of nations and the
dignity of human beings. That’s who we are. That
is what we do.
Much has happened to our country and to the world
since 9/11. But I’m confident that so long as
brave men and women like you -- Americans who are
willing to serve selflessly half a world away on
behalf of their fellow citizens and the dreams of
people they’ve never met -- so long as there are
folks like you, then I’m confident that our
nation will endure, and hope will overcome fear. And I
am confident that better days lie ahead.
So thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.) God
bless you. God bless the United States Armed Forces.
And God bless the United States of America.
(Applause.)
END 11:33 P.M. (Local)
Sources:
White
House Press Office--March 28, 2010
Barack
Obama rallies forces on visit to Afghanistan--BBC,
March 28, 2010
Afghan
war remains 'absolutely essential,' Obama
says--CNN, March 28, 2010
