WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama on Sunday praised American soldiers for what he described as the breaking up of militant group Al Qaeda and the pushing back of the Taliban in Afghanistan, stressing that the troops will soon withdraw from the country.
Obama praised the troops and their families at an army veterans commemoration ceremony for delivering an extraordinary effort in both Iraq and Afghanistan to fight insurgency.
"You toppled the dictator and battled insurgency in Iraq, you pushed back the Taliban and disunited Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. You delivered justice to Osama Bin Laden. Tour after tour, year after year, you and your families have done all that this country have asked, you have done it all," he said in Virginia, adding that 33,000 US troops have come to Afghanistan and the transition out of the country is underway.
"Today the proud nation expresses our gratitude, but we do so mindful that no ceremony or parade, no hug or handshake is enough to truly honor that service. To that we must do more, for that we must commit this day and everyday to serve in you as well as you served us. I spoke about you three years ago, I spoke about today's generation of service members," he said.
However, the insurgent's safe havens in the region remain a major concern for the Afghan government as the foreign combat forces withdraw.
Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman SediqSediqqi on Monday told TOLOnews that the Western countries must have clear strategies to ensure the insurgents are eradicated.
"The West must work and focus on specific programs that guarantee the eradication of the insurgency in Pakistan," he said.
Military analyst JawidKohistani said the US should force Pakistan to do more against insurgency in its soil.
"Pakistan should be forced to fight insurgency in its soil," he told TOLOnews on Monday.
The US war effort in Afghanistan is considered the longest war in American history, however despite Obama's claims, the question of whether it has successfully achieved its aims is still unclear. (Tolo News)