Statement by the Press Secretary on reports of the death of Kim Jong Il

We are closely monitoring reports that Kim Jong Il is dead. The President has been notified, and we are in close touch with our allies in South Korea and Japan. We remain committed to stability on the Korean peninsula, and to the freedom and security of our allies.

Statement of President Obama on the death of Vaclav Havel

I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing today of Vaclav Havel, a playwright and prisoner of conscience who became President of Czechoslovakia and of the Czech Republic. Having encountered many setbacks, Havel lived with a spirit of hope, which he defined as “the ability to work for something because it is good, not just because it stands a chance to succeed.” His peaceful resistance shook the foundations of an empire, exposed the emptiness of a repressive ideology, and proved that moral leadership is more powerful than any weapon. He played a seminal role in the Velvet Revolution that won his people their freedom and inspired generations to reach for self-determination and dignity in all parts of the world. He also embodied the aspirations of half a continent that had been cut off by the Iron Curtain, and helped unleash tides of history that led to a united and democratic Europe.

Like millions around the world, I was inspired by his words and leadership, and was humbled to stand with the Czech people in a free and vibrant Hradcany Square as President. We extend our condolences to President Havel’s family and all those in the Czech Republic and around the world who remain inspired by his example. Vaclav Havel was a friend to America and to all who strive for freedom and dignity, and his words will echo through the ages.

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Readout of Vice President Biden's Calls to Iraqi Leaders

Vice President Biden spoke on the phone today with Kurdistan Regional Government President Masoud Barzani and Iraqi Council of Representatives Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi to mark the historic end of the U.S. war in Iraq and to discuss the recent visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to Washington. The leaders discussed the current political climate in Baghdad, and the Vice President reiterated the United States’ longstanding support for an inclusive partnership government in Iraq and for a long-term strategic partnership between our nations under the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement. The Vice President and President Barzani reaffirmed the longstanding friendship between the American and Kurdish people and discussed the Vice President’s recent visit to Turkey. The Vice President praised Speaker Nujaifi’s responsible stewardship of the Iraqi Council of Representatives.  

Statement by White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer

The President said that Congress cannot go home without preventing a tax increase on 160 million hardworking Americans, and the deal announced tonight meets that test. This is an important step towards enacting a key provision of the President’s American Jobs Act and a significant victory for the American people and the economy, because as independent analysts have said, failing to extend this tax cut would have had a damaging effect on our recovery and job growth. The President urges Congress now to finish up their business for the American people.