Background Briefing by a Senior Administration Official

 1:35 A.M. (local)

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  So I just wanted to give you guys a background readout here.  Upon taking off, the President called President Karzai of Afghanistan because they weren’t able to see each other.  They discussed progress that’s been made by the Afghan National Security Forces.  The President referenced that he’d heard very positive readouts of the progress in his briefings with Ambassador Cunningham and General Dunford.  They discussed the success of the first round of the elections and the preparations that are being made for the second round of elections. 

The President praised the Afghan electoral institutions for the work that they’re doing, as well as the Afghan National Security Forces’ work in securing those elections.  The President also reiterated his continued support for a process of Afghan-led reconciliation that President Karzai is committed to.

With respect to the BSA, the President reiterated his interest in concluding a BSA with President Karzai’s successor and agreed to stay in touch with President Karzai as we make determinations about what potential post-2014 presence could go along with a BSA. 

Q    What did Karzai say about that -- the BSA?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Just that they agreed to stay in touch on it and that President Obama would be in touch before we articulate publicly any decision-making.  But I think it’s understood by both of them that [the] BSA is something that his successor would conclude; we crossed that bridge earlier in the year.  And again, I think we saw good statements from both Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani in recent days about their interest in signing a BSA. 

Q    Do you have any more information on how much of a heads up Karzai got?  Because it seemed like from the statement you guys had with the offer for him to come to Bagram, it was basically an offer that was made so late that he would never have been able to make it anyways.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, I don’t know the exact timing of when he was notified.  That’s handled by the embassy.  I do think -- look, in the past, President Karzai has not traveled to Bagram when we’ve been there, so it’s not our expectation that he would.  He prefers to host President Obama at the palace.  Again, the nature of this visit was such that we were really keeping it focused on the troops and not looking to get into Afghan politics at this time.  So we weren’t surprised, but we did want to make sure that President Obama could speak to him given his travel to Afghanistan and the briefings he got from his senior [staff].

Q    So they spoke after we were wheels up, right?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Right after the plane was wheels up, yes.

Q    Do you know about how long the call lasted?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yes, I think the call lasted about 15 to 20 minutes.

Q    And did he tell him -- I’m sorry, I wasn’t sure if I understood -- did the President tell President Karzai that he will let him know before he makes an announcement whether it’s at West Point or whatever about the plans for residual troop numbers?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yes, he would, as a matter of course, consult with President Karzai before publicly articulating an announcement like that.

Q    And was this call that articulation?  Or there will be another --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  This call was about having been in Afghanistan and wanting to touch base with him.  And actually, the only other thing I left out is they also talked about the recent attack on the Indian Consulate in Afghanistan and the context of President Karzai also traveling to India tomorrow for Prime Minister-designate Modi’s inauguration.

Q    When exactly did the President invite Karzai to Bagram?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I think the embassy extended that invitation sometime before our arrival.  I don’t know the exact time.

Q    When Obama had his briefing with Dunford and others, what was the conversation like about the post-2014 plan?  I mean, are they still in the stage where he’s actually getting guidance and advice?  Or was it more him telling the Commander and others what he’s thinking about announcing?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I mean, it’s both.  He’s been getting their advice over the last few weeks.  He was able to share some of his thinking.  I think they really wanted to, given the context of how they see things on the ground.  I think the principal message that we heard from General Dunford and Ambassador Cunningham is that there are a number of factors converging here that do make it an opportune moment for the United States to articulate its commitment -- that the Afghan National Security Forces have performed, in some respects better than we anticipated; they have moved into the lead for combat; the elections have created a sense of optimism in Afghanistan. 

So there’s an environment in which there are some good strains that are converging that make a potential U.S. articulation of our commitment to Afghanistan worthwhile; also, the commitments from the two leading candidates.  So I think their message was that different parts of this puzzle are coming together in Afghanistan in this year of transition and that there is a continued investment that the United States can make that can help the new administration in Afghanistan when it does take power to have a stable beginning.

They also reviewed the ongoing security challenges that we face in Afghanistan -- how we are going about the training mission; how we are helping the Afghan National Security Forces not just build their combat force, but also be able to sustain some of the functions of a national army.  So I think they covered in some detail the state of the Afghan National Security Forces and then discussed the challenges of securing the second round of the elections.  The Afghans will be in the lead for that as well.  We’re simply providing advice and counsel on that.

Q    So the progress that they’re making, does that suggest that a smaller force would be fine, like of 5,000?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, it suggests how do we focus on supporting those functions of the Afghan National Security Forces that are going to be necessary for sustainability so that not only can they serve as a combat force in the field, but how are they building out the structures and institutions of a national army, and also how we’re going to coordinate with our allies, some of whom have also indicated a commitment to a post-2014 Afghanistan.

Q    But is it fair to say that short of whoever wins the election, not signing the BSA, that the zero option is off the table at this point?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: If there’s not a BSA, we will not keep troops in Afghanistan.

Q    Right.  But if the BSA is signed, you guys will move forward with --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, yes, I think the President has indicated that, and you saw in his comments today that it’s our expectation that if there is a BSA we’d look at how -- what force structure could fulfill those missions.  And that’s what he’ll have a chance to speak to in the coming days.

Q    Ten thousand has been the high number that we’ve been using.  Is there -- we shouldn’t use that number anymore when we talk about the range?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’m not going to get into numbers.

Q    Has the President called, or is he planning on calling on this flight either anyone in the leadership of Ukraine or in Russia?  And can you talk about that?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  We don’t have any current calls scheduled, but I would expect that he will call at the first opportunity the newly elected President.  I think, obviously, we want to monitor how they are certifying those results.  What I will say is that the President was commenting about how well the election went from his perspective.  Clearly, the Ukrainians turned out in significant numbers.  Clearly, the message they were sending was one of national unity and a commitment to democracy.  Even in some of the more difficult provinces you saw people working to vote. 

I think the statements you saw after the election from leaders like Poroshenko, they underscore national unity and send very positive signals about the future of Ukraine, not just its relations with its neighbors, but in reaching out to the east.  So again, I think the overarching message from the election was extraordinarily positive when you look at the difficulties of the last several weeks -- for Ukraine it’s a turnout of those numbers and to have such a clear result.  And in support of policies of national unity, inclusion, economic stabilization, I think sets a very good groundwork for our relationship with Ukraine going forward.

Q    -- was that Poroshenko got more than the 50 percent-plus one, so there’s no run-off and they kind of move ahead, instead of being in limbo for another month or so.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Well, again, that’s up to the Ukrainians.  I do think, though, that the sense of stability in getting to work that comes from a clear election result could be extraordinarily positive.  It provides some assurance and legitimacy at a time where Ukraine has been dealing with significant challenges.  And again, what we’ve always said is this election will settle the legitimacy question.  There were questions raised by Russia and others after the Yanukovych government collapsed and he fled town.  Now the people of Ukraine have spoken, and I don’t think there can be any questioning the legitimacy of a result that reflects such a broad cross-section of the Ukrainian public.

So I think we made clear that the United States, our European allies will be there for this new government to help them deal with some very difficult challenges -- stabilizing the economy and trying to calm this conflict.  And we hope that Russia will choose to play a constructive role in respecting this result.

Q    No calls to Putin expected?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  None expected.

Q    Is there anything -- any color from behind the scenes that we couldn’t see, either in the hospital visit or in his interactions with troops that you want to talk about?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Like I said, the only thing I’d say is that he -- or a couple of things.  He was able to tour kind of the -- some of the operation centers.  And in each place that he went he made a point of going around to each desk and shaking everybody’s hand and thanking them.  As he mentioned in his remarks, in the operation center he saw a poster of the Twin Towers, which clearly resonated with him, and he referred to the fact that, in his private remarks to the troops in those operation centers, that it reminded him of why we’re here. 

When he finished those briefings and walked towards the hangar, he went through the Hall of Honor that they have there, where they have photos of the fallen from Afghanistan.  So he was able to look at photos of many troops who had been lost in Afghanistan and thought that was obviously particularly profound on Memorial Day weekend to see those photos, even as he was then able to go and spend some time with the troops as well.

So I think he was, as always, moved by the visit and inspired by what these troops are doing every single day on behalf of the United States.

Q    How many soldiers was he able to meet with at the hospital?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I don’t know.  I’ll check that for you.  The other thing he did -- he was able to give out some awards.  Did we get you the background on that?

Q    No.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’ll get that for you.  A number of Purple Hearts and other awards.  So we’ll get that for you.

Q    Were there new awards done tonight that was part of this?  We don’t have that.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yes, he -- well get you what he gave out there, yes.

Thanks, guys.

Statement by the Press Secretary on the New Indian Government

Statement by the Press Secretary on the New Indian Government

President Obama congratulates Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India and the new Indian government on their swearing-in today. As the President and Prime Minister agreed in their call after the election, as the world’s two largest democracies, India and the United States share a deep bond and commitment to promoting economic opportunity, freedom, and security for our people and around the world. We look forward to working closely together with the new government to continue to strengthen and expand the U.S.-India strategic partnership for years to come.

Remarks by the President to the Troops at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Bagram!  (Applause.)  Well, I know it's a little late, but I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by.  (Applause.)  First of all, I want everybody to give a huge round of applause to your commander, General Joe Dunford. Please give him an outstanding, rousing acknowledgement.  (Applause.)  I am grateful to him for his leadership of our coalition here in Afghanistan, and for his lifetime of distinguished service -- to the Marine Corps and to America.

And can everybody please give it up to Brad Paisley?  (Applause.)  Now, I want to say this about Brad.  First of all, he’s a great supporter of our troops, a great supporter of your families.  Two years ago we had him at the White House to perform for troops and military families during the Fourth of July celebration.  Him coming here today was not easy.  He had just started a tour and he had to juggle a lot of stuff and had to try to figure out how to explain it to people without explaining it to people, and his wife and two young sons, and promoters and agents -- and without going into details, this was a big sacrifice for him.  And he did it because he cares so deeply about you.  So I'm so grateful to him. 

I want to make clear, though, I will not be singing so --

AUDIENCE:  Awwww --

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, you really want me to sing?  (Applause.) No, but I do want to just say to Brad, thank you so much for doing this.

I want to acknowledge our outstanding Ambassador, Jim Cunningham, who’s here, with his lovely wife.  And Jim leads an incredible team of civilians -- at our embassy and across this country.  They are also making sacrifices, also away from their families, oftentimes themselves at risk as they serve.  I know those of you in uniform couldn’t do your jobs without these Americans as your partners.  So we salute the dedicated service of all the civilians who are here, led by Jim Cunningham.  Give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

Now, I guess I also should mention that we've got a few folks here as part of the 10th Mountain Division -- (applause) -- “Climb To Glory.”  (Applause.)  We got the 455th Airwing in the house.  (Applause.)  Task Force Muleskinner -- (applause) -- Task Force Thunder -- (applause -- Task Force Rugged -- (applause.)   

To all of you, I’m here on a single mission, and that is to thank you for your extraordinary service.  (Applause.)  I thank you as your Commander-in-Chief because you inspire me.  Your willingness to serve, to step forward at a time of war, and say “send me,” is the reason the United States stays strong and free. Of all the honors that I have serving as President, nothing matches serving as your Commander-in-Chief.  (Applause.) 

But I’m also here representing 300 million Americans who want to say thank you as well.  (Applause.)  I know sometimes when you're over here, away from home, away from family, you may not truly absorb how much the folks back home are thinking about you.  So I just want you to know when it comes to supporting you and your families, the American people stand united.  We support you.  We are proud of you.  We stand in awe of your service.   

And you can see it in American actions every single day.  You see it in the kids across America who send you all those care packages -- and all those Girl Scout cookies.  (Applause.)  Those are pretty popular, huh?  (Applause.)  You like those cookies, huh?  (Applause.)  All right.  I'll bet you’ll get some more now. (Applause.) 

You see it in the neighbors and the coworkers who volunteer to help your moms and dads, and wives and husbands, and sons and daughters at school and on their sports teams.  You see it at the airport when you return stateside -- all the folks standing up, applauding, lining up to shake your hand and welcoming you home.

We see it when entire stadiums get to their feet to salute our troops and our veterans.  Just the other day, I welcomed the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks -- (Applause and boos.)  Listen, I'm a Bears’ fan, but I -- (applause) -- but the one thing I saw and I've seen in every sports team that comes to the White House is the work that they do, visiting Walter Reed, Bethesda, doing work with military families.  In fact, to help announce their draft picks this month, the Seattle Seahawks selected Jeff Baker, who’s a Seahawks fan but also a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and a proud sergeant in the U.S. Army, to make that draft pick.  (Applause.)  Because they wanted to send a signal that we love our sports and we love our football -- that's fun and games, but this is the competition that counts and these are the real heroes.  (Applause.)     

You see America’s gratitude every time I present a veteran of Afghanistan with our nation’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.  We bestow that medal on an individual.  But every time -- every time that we bestow that medal, whoever is the recipient says he accepts it on behalf of the whole team and everybody who wears the uniform of the American Armed Forces.  And when those citations are read, Americans all across the country stop and they listen -- and they’re stirred by the sacrifices you render for each other, and for all of us. 

So I'm here to say thank you and I'm here to say how proud I am of you.  (Applause.)  And I'm here to say how proud I am of your families -- (applause) -- because in some ways, in ways large and small, they’re sacrificing just like you are.    

But I’m also here because after more than a decade of war, we’re at a pivotal moment.  Last year marked a major milestone -- for the first time, Afghan forces took the lead to secure their own country.  And today, you’re in a support role -- helping to train and assist Afghan forces.  For many of you, this will be your last tour in Afghanistan.  (Applause.)  And by the end of this year, the transition will be complete and Afghans will take full responsibility for their security, and our combat mission will be over.  America’s war in Afghanistan will come to a responsible end.  (Applause.)   

Now, that progress is because of you and the more than half a million Americans -- military and civilian -- who’ve served here in Afghanistan.  And I don’t want you to ever forget why you are here or how vital your mission is to our national security. 

Some of you may know, recently, I was in New York City, and we were there to dedicate the new 9/11 Museum.  I had time to spend with the survivors, and with families who lost loved ones, and with the first responders who had rushed to the scene -- and had a chance to ponder the portraits and the biographies of the thousands who were killed that day, and to think about those who were killed in Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon.  And once again, we resolved to never forget what happened on that September day -- and to do everything in our power to prevent something like that from ever happening again.  That’s why you’re here.  That's why you're here.

And I notice -- some of you don't remember -- because as I was getting a briefing while Brad was singing, I saw a picture of the Twin Towers in the Operation Room nearby, so I know you don't forget. 

And four years ago, on my first visit to Bagram as President, I laid out our mission.  And General Dunford and Ambassador Cunningham just gave me a briefing on your progress.  And today, every single one of you, everybody who has served here, and all the members of our coalition can be proud because you are completing our mission.  You're completing the mission.

We said that we were going to deny al Qaeda safe haven.  And since then, we have decimated the al Qaeda leadership in the tribal regions, and our troops here at Bagram played a central role in supporting our counterterrorism operations -- including the one that delivered justice to Osama bin Laden.  (Applause.)  So, along with our intelligence personnel, you’ve helped prevent attacks and save American lives back home.  Al Qaeda is on its heels in this part of the world, and that’s because of you.

We said that we were going to reverse the Taliban’s momentum.  And so you went on the offensive, driving the Taliban out of its strongholds.  Look, everybody knows Afghanistan is still a very dangerous place.  Insurgents still launch cowardly attacks against innocent civilians.  But just look at the progress that you’ve made possible -- Afghans reclaiming their communities, and more girls returning to school, dramatic improvements in public health and life expectancy and literacy.  That's your legacy.  That's what you did.  Even with all the challenges, more Afghans have hope for their future.  And so much of that is because of you.  

We said that we were going to strengthen the capacity of Afghan forces so they could take more responsibility for their own security.  So you’ve been training Afghan forces and building Afghan forces up.  And we know they’ve still got a long way to go.  But for nearly a year, Afghans have been in the lead, and they’re making enormous sacrifices.  You look at the casualties they’re taking on.  They are willing to fight.  Afghan forces are growing stronger.  Afghans are proud to be defending their own country -- and, again, so much of that is because of you.

Think about last month’s election.  Despite all the threats from the Taliban, the Afghan people refused to be terrorized.  They registered to vote.  Afghan security forces secured thousands of polling places.  Then millions of Afghans lined up to cast their ballot.  And next month’s runoff will be another step toward the first democratic transfer of power in the history of this nation.  That’s a tribute to the courage and determination of the people of Afghanistan.  But it is also a tribute to you and the sacrifices of so many Americans and our coalition partners -- everything that you’ve done over the years.

We know that this progress has come at a heavy price.  Tomorrow is Memorial Day.  At bases here in Afghanistan and towns across America, we will pause and we'll pay tribute to all those who’ve laid down their lives for our freedom.  And that includes nearly 2,200 American patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice, that last, full measure of devotion, right here in Afghanistan.  I know you’ve stood in front of those battle crosses.  I know many of you carry the memories of your fallen comrades in your heart today.  We will honor every single one of them -- not just tomorrow, but forever.  

I want you to know our gratitude is shared by the Afghan people.  One of them -- one of Afghanistan’s leading women, a member of parliament -- recently wrote an open letter.  I don't know if many of you had a chance to see it.  She described all the changes that have taken place here, including millions of girls going to school and pursuing their dreams.  And she wrote this -- I want you to listen to this -- she wrote:  “It’s been a difficult journey, marked by blood and violence, but we have made significant gains and achievements, which would not have been possible without the generous support of the international community, especially the American people.”  Especially the American people.  She’s talking about all of you.  She’s talking about your families.  She’s talking about those who we've lost.  That’s the difference -- and the legacy -- that you can be proud of.

Now, even as our combat mission ends later this year, I want everybody to know, in this country and across the region, America’s commitment to the people of Afghanistan will endure.  With our strategic partnership, we’ll continue to stand with Afghans as they strengthen their institutions, as they build their economy, as they improve their lives -- men and women, and boys and girls.

I’ve made it clear that we’re prepared to continue cooperating with our Afghan partners on two security missions -- training and equipping Afghan forces and targeting -- counterterrorism targets against al Qaeda.  And once Afghanistan has sworn in its new president, I’m hopeful we’ll sign a bilateral security agreement that lets us move forward.  And with that bilateral security agreement, assuming it is signed, we can plan for a limited military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2014. Because after all the sacrifices we’ve made, we want to preserve the gains that you have helped to win.  And we’re going to make sure that Afghanistan can never again, ever, be used again to launch an attack against our country.

So our combat mission here will come to an end.  But our obligations to you and your families have only just begun.  The al Qaeda leadership may be on the ropes, but in other regions of the world al Qaeda affiliates are evolving and pose a serious threat.  We’re going to have to stay strong and we're going to have to stay vigilant.  And fortunately, we’ve got the best-led, best-trained, best-equipped military in human history.  (Applause.)  And as Commander-in Chief, I’m going to keep it that way.  (Applause.) 

We’re going to stay strong by taking care of your families back home.  First Lady Michelle and Vice President Joe Biden’s wife Jill have made this their mission -- because your families serve, too.  They’re heroes on the home front.  And so we’re going to keep Joining Forces to make sure more Americans are stepping up to support and honor those extraordinary families.

We’re going to stay strong by taking care of our wounded warriors and our veterans.  (Applause.)  Because helping our wounded warriors and veterans heal isn’t just a promise, it’s a sacred obligation.  As you come home, some of you will return to civilian life, and we want to make sure you can enjoy the American Dream that you helped to defend.  So with the transition assistance to help you begin the next chapter of your life -- that's going to keep America strong.  The credentials and licenses to help you find a job worthy of your incredible skills -- that will keep America strong.  Making sure the Post-9/11 GI Bill is in place and delivering for you the kind of education that you have earned -- that will keep America strong.  (Applause.)

And I keep on saying to every company back home -- if you want somebody who knows how to get the job done, hire a vet.  (Applause.)  Hire a vet.  Hire a vet.  (Applause.)  Because like generations before you, we need you to help us write the next great chapter in the American story, and I know you’ll do that because I’ve seen the character of your service, and I know the strength of our country. 

Going back to New York and thinking about that tragedy 12 years ago, in those awful moments after the Twin Towers fell, as the wreckage was still burning, those at the scene were desperately looking for survivors -- one of those searching was a detective with the NYPD.  And as he climbed through the debris, he spotted something in the rubble -- it was a flag.  It was torn up.  Parts of it were burned, but it was still intact.      

And today, that flag is at the 9/11 Museum.  It’s dusty. And it's torn, and you can see the burn marks from the fires.  That flag has been through a lot.  But the thing you notice is its broad stripes and bright stars still shine.  (Applause.)  Its red, white and blue still inspire.  After all it’s been through, after all America has been through, our flag is still there.  (Applause.)    

And our flag is still there because when our nation was attacked, a generation -- this generation, the 9/11 Generation -- stepped up and said “send me.”  Our flag is still there because you’ve served with honor in dusty villages and city streets, and in rugged bases and remote outposts, in Helmand and Kandahar, and Khost and Kunar and Paktika and Nuristan.  Our flag is still there because through this long war you never wavered in your belief that people deserve to live free from fear -- over here and back home.  Our flag will always be there, because the freedom and liberty it represents to the world will always be defended by patriots like you.  (Applause.) 

So I'm here to say thank you.  I'm here to say I'm proud of you.  The American people are proud of you.  God bless you. God bless the United States Armed Forces.  And God Bless our United States of America.  (Applause.) 

Thank you very much, everybody.  (Applause.)