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President Obama's Afghanistan Presidential Speech: Full Text

by Amy Judd | December 1, 2009 at 06:19 pm

733 views | 46 Recommendations | 5 comments

President Obama gave his Afghanistan Presidential address today, where he promised to bring the troops home in 18 months and also announced he would send an additional 30,000 troops early next year.

He set a deadline of July 2011 to withdraw from Afghanistan.

Below are excerpts from the speech, but for the full text, just click the links.

For the first time in its history, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization invoked Article 5, the commitment that says an attack on one member nation is an attack on all. And the United Nations Security Council endorsed the use of all necessary steps to respond to the 9/11 attacks. America, our allies, and the world were acting as one to destroy Al Qaeda's terrorist network and to protect our common security.

Today, after extraordinary costs, we are bringing the Iraq war to a responsible end. We will remove our combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next summer and all of our troops by the end of 2011. That we are doing so is a testament to the character of the men and women in uniform.

As cadets, you volunteered for service during this time of danger. Some of you have fought in Afghanistan. Some of you will deploy there. As your commander-in-chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined and worthy of your service.

So, no, I do not make this decision lightly. I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is the epicenter of violent extremism practiced by Al Qadda. It is from here that we were attacked on 9/11, and it is from here that new attacks are being plotted as I speak.

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A. Tran

at 18:50 on December 1st, 2009

I was struck by the image of the rows of cadets and their solemn faces during the speech.

This strategy needs an actively cooperative Pakistan because Afghanistan government has not shown itself to be a reliable and trustworthy partner so far.

caj1

at 18:54 on December 1st, 2009

Good comment, Pythiian1.

Babel-Fish

at 19:13 on December 1st, 2009

The biggest problem is its normal only the elite are educated enough for governing within a third world country. The elite have made them selves elite through corruption and crime.

Strategy needs an armies on both sides of the border to push back the enemy not offering an escape route.

Meanwhile....

Improving infrastructure and helping farmers change from poppies to food products improving life and winning hearts and minds in Afghanistan. Funding the war machine and supplying advisors and one again improving infrastructure in Pakistan of whom have also have the problem of corrupt elitism.

Richard sievert (not verified)

at 05:26 on December 11th, 2009

A man with nothing must be our new president or this land will fall.

Archie McLachlan (not verified)

at 06:47 on December 11th, 2009

It is so disappointing to see that a forum for journalists to report the real story as opposed to the fabricated one in the national press has now been taken over by you guys. Really sick that you must suppress the truth to the detriment of everyone.