WASHINGTON - In a letter to the American people, US President Barack Obama said on Thursday that at the end of his two four-year terms, he was confident what he was leaving behind was better than what he inherited.
“This is where America stands after eight years of progress. By so many measures, our country is stronger and more prosperous than it was when we started – a situation I’m proud to leave for my successor,” he said.
In the letter, Mr Obama highlighted the 2011 commando raid in Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden as one of the major achievements of his eight-year rule.
The outgoing US president will hand over power to president-elect Donald Trump at the swearing-in ceremony in Washington on Jan 20.

Mr Obama recalled that when he took over on Jan 20, 2009, nearly 180,000 American troops were serving in in Iraq and Afghanistan, and “the mastermind of the worst terror attack on American soil remained at large.” (AP)