Remarks by the President Before ISAF Meeting -- Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan

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.) 

Press Gaggle By Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes, 5/25/2014

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
 

9:00 A.M. EDT

MR. RHODES:  So we’re on this trip to Afghanistan principally as an opportunity for the President to thank American troops and civilians for their service. It’s been two years since he’s been able to get to Afghanistan, and he felt that it was very important for him to express directly to the troops his gratitude.

In terms of his schedule and some of what we’ll be focused on -- when we get there, the President will get a briefing from Ambassador Cunningham and General Dunford about the status of the campaign in Afghanistan.  He’ll have a chance to tour the operations center at Bagram.  And then he’ll get a briefing from ISAF, including General Dunford, Ambassador Cunningham, but also a number of the senior enlisted officers in Afghanistan.

After that, he will make remarks to troops and civilians at Bagram.  Then, he’ll have a hospital visit, as he’s done in the past on these trips.  And that’s the current schedule.  We’ll keep you updated if we add any additional elements.

This is the President’s fourth trip to Afghanistan.  He felt that given the focus on thanking the troops, that it would be good to bring with us some entertainment for the troops.  So Brad Paisley, who has played at the White House a number of times in the past, including at the Fourth of July for the military and military families, came along.  And so Brad will play for the troops before the President’s remarks.

We also, of course, are making some decisions about the future of our commitment to Afghanistan, and so the President will have a chance to hear directly from his Ambassador and General on the ground just as he’s been consulting with members of his Cabinet.

As a general matter, it’s an important moment in Afghanistan.  This is a year of transition.  The Afghan security forces have been fully in the lead for combat operations in Afghanistan, with our assistance and training.  The election recently was successful as millions of Afghans turned out to vote.  There are now two leading candidates in a run-off, and there’s a prospect of the first democratic transition of power in Afghanistan’s history.  So even with all the challenges and the continued instances of violence in Afghanistan, there has been I think important progress made, both in terms of security forces, in terms of the election, and the prospect of an Afghanistan that is able to sustain the gains that have been made over the last decade.

So with that, I’d be happy to take your questions.

Q -- Can you talk about the decision to come before the election is over and apparently before you guys have made the decision on how many troops you’d be willing to leave after 2014?

MR. RHODES:  Sure.  Well, again, first of all, the principal driver of the timing is we’ve been looking for some period of time now, I’d say a few months, to come to Afghanistan precisely because we wanted to be able to thank the troops.  It’s been a couple of years.

After the first round of the election went off well, we felt that there would be a good window to come on a troop-focused visit.  We are mindful that it’s a political season in Afghanistan, and I think that accounts for the fact that we’re focusing our visit on Bagram.  We don’t want to get into the middle of election season meeting with candidates and that type of thing.  So it’s a good time for the troops to hear from the President, and also for the Afghan people to know that no matter what happens in the election, that we have an enduring commitment to the people of Afghanistan and that, frankly, both candidates who are in the run-off have spoken very positively about the U.S.-Afghan partnership, as well as the prospects for a BSA.

Then, lastly, I think it was actually important for the President to come -- before he articulates a decision -- to get that chance to sit down face-to-face with his Ambassador and General.  We see them often on video conference.  So I think we also wanted to get that input as he’s making decisions.

Q -- Has he made the decision yet?  Or is he still --

MR. RHODES:  He has not made the decision yet.  Again, I think he wanted to -- he’s been consulting with his national security team.  We had a NSC meeting on this topic recently.  Again, he’ll be meeting General Dunford and Ambassador Cunningham.

I do think that -- I’d say a number of things.  Number one, of course we still need a BSA to have troops here post-2014, although, again, both candidates have expressed their support for such a BSA.  Secondly, I think that you can expect to hear additional clarity from the President about his thinking on Afghanistan in the coming days.  He obviously has a series of speeches and engagements on national security, and he’ll certainly want to talk about Afghanistan in the context of the future of America’s foreign policy and national security priorities.  And there’s a NATO Defense Ministerial on June 4th, where we will be coordinating with the Alliance.  So you should expect to hear more from the President on Afghanistan after this trip.

Q -- What’s the current thinking about how many troops to leave behind?  Will we see numbers like 10,000, 5,000?  What exactly?

MR. RHODES:  Well, that’s precisely the question that we’re looking at.  And we’ve had a range of options for the type of presence that we would maintain in Afghanistan after 2014.  I think the important principles there are we’re focused on missions, and the principal missions are the two that the President has identified publicly, which are continued training of the Afghan National Security Forces and supporting their counterterrorism operations.  In all cases, our combat mission here in Afghanistan would come to a conclusion at the end of 2014 consistent with our transition plan.

Now, there are a range of different force structures that could accomplish those objectives.  We’re looking into questions not just about the size of that force, but how long you sustain any potential troop presence after 2014.  So those are the types of questions the President is looking at.

The main thing for us is how can we help the Afghan security forces sustain their own capability to be in the lead for security -- so what type of support are they going to need after 2014.  We’ve been looking very closely at those questions.

And secondly, we’ve been looking broadly at counterterrorism and how do you have a counterterrorism strategy in Afghanistan, in South Asia, in cooperation with Pakistan that keeps al Qaeda core on its heels, but also how does it fit into the broader counterterrorism challenge across the entire region all the way to North Africa.  And that’s what the President will be discussing a bit in West Point.

Q -- One more thing.  And when you say “coming days,” is this the West Point speech you’re talking about?

MR. RHODES:  I don’t want to specify -- I don’t want to get ahead of the President on this.  But again, we have a number of opportunities, including the West Point speech.  And I think he’ll be talking about Afghanistan in that context.

Q -- We shouldn’t rule out that on the day of the West Point speech we would hear some clarity on the numbers?  We can’t say that that is going to happen either, but --

MR. RHODES:  I don’t want to say for certain, but, yes, I wouldn’t rule it out.

QSo when you said that the planning began a few months ago, do you mean the planning for this date began a few months ago?  Or that a few months ago is it was like, yeah, we should go, and then -- basically, how long does it take to stand up a trip like this?

MR. RHODES:  Well, there’s a weather window that is relevant.  So basically as you go through December and January, it’s very difficult to plan for this type of trip.  So coming out of that winter, I think we anticipated that we wanted to find a good time to come in the spring.  And we wanted to factor in, though, things like the first round of the elections and letting those go off without the added burden of a presidential trip.  But once we got past those elections I think is when we started looking to find a date.  So, in other words, we were notionally planning for a trip over the last two or three months.  In recent weeks, we settled on this weekend as a good date for the President to be able to come.  So this particular trip has been in the planning stages for several weeks, I’d say.

Q -- Two questions.  The recent problems and investigation with the VA, to what extent did that factor into whether or not to go and what message he’ll deliver to those troops?  And can you talk about the decision not to meet with Karzai on this trip?

MR. RHODES:  So the VA really didn’t factor into the planning for the trip at all.  This is kind of taking place on a separate track.  I think, generally, of course, when he talks to troops he talks about our commitment to active duty servicemembers, to their families and to veterans.  And so I think that’s a general message that he’ll be delivering.  But he won’t be focusing on the situation and the VA here.  He’ll be focusing on the service of these troops and their families.

The VA is obviously something he’s going to continue to work on very hard in the coming days and weeks back home as well.

Your other question was?

Q -- Karzai.

MR. RHODES:  Well, again, we are -- precisely because it’s a political season in Afghanistan, we were mindful about the potential disruptions that could come from a presidential trip into Kabul.  We also wanted to keep this trip principally focused on the troops.  And again, that’s why the President decided to bring Brad Paisley out and really celebrate them and their service.

He’s talked to President Karzai recently.  We expect he’ll have opportunities to talk to him in the coming days, as well.  So it really had to do with how we wait -- keeping this focused on the troops and not necessarily getting in the middle of Afghan politics at this time.

Q -- So apart from that phone call you read out I think in February, has he talked to Karzai?

MR. RHODES:  Yes, he spoke to him after the -- yes, earlier this month after the landslides in northern Afghanistan.

Q -- you inform Karzai that the President is here?

MR. RHODES:  Yes, Karzai is informed in advance that the President is coming.

Q -- Now?  He knows now?

MR. RHODES:  Yes, I couldn’t tell you specifically when.  But I know that he’s informed before we get there.

Q -- Can you just talk a little bit about the speech?  Why does the President feel that he needed to make a speech such as he’s going to make on Wednesday?  Is he at all frustrated at the perceptions of his foreign policy six years into his presidency?

MR. RHODES:  Well, I’d say a couple of things.  First of all, we are in a bit of a turning point in terms of our foreign policy generally.  So much of what we did in the first term was winding down the war in Iraq, putting Afghanistan on a plan to wind down the war, focusing on al Qaeda core.  Now having removed all of our troops from Iraq, having a transition that’s going to be completed in Afghanistan at the end of the year, and having a threat that has really shifted from being focused in South Asia to other al Qaeda affiliates and extremist groups in different parts of the world.

Our foreign policy is going to look a lot different going forward than it did in the last decade when Iraq and Afghanistan really dominated the discussion.  So there’s a natural inflexion point.  That’s one thing.

And in his speech, I think what the President will talk about is what does that transition mean, what is the counterterrorism strategy that replaces the strategy that really focused most of our resources in Iraq and Afghanistan.  But I think he’ll also want to talk more broadly about the U.S. role in the world.  And, look, there has been a lot of discussion of these issues, in part because there have been a series of events like the chemical weapons attack in Syria, the Snowden disclosures, the situation in Ukraine that have demanded a lot of time and attention from the United States.

What we want to do is step back and put all of these different events into the context of how does America lead in the world and how do we strike that balance between not getting overextended as we were in Iraq, but ensuring that we are leading coalitions of nations, leading the international community on different issues -- whether it’s resolving the situation with Iran peacefully, whether it’s completing the removal of Syrian chemical weapons, whether it’s supporting Ukraine as they go to the polls and making clear to the Russians they’re going to pay a cost for continuing to intervene in Ukraine’s affairs -- and in all of these different cases, how does America lead.

And I think the President wants to provide some clarity on those issues and really put a framework around it.  And it’s not just something he’ll do at West Point.  He then goes to Europe where he’ll be able to give his speech in Poland, speaking about our commitment to Europe and European security.  And he’ll be with the G7 in Brussels, and then concluding in Normandy, where I think he can tie together the history of America’s leadership with what we’re doing around the world today.

Q -- So if you’ve been planning this for several weeks, how hard is it to get the President sort of secretly out of the White House onto the plane, fly halfway around the country?

MR. RHODES:  Well, it’s difficult but we’ve done it several times before.  So you learn tradecraft, and the Secret Service is very capable.  The fact that it was over a long weekend, a holiday weekend, I think makes that a simpler thing to do.  So basically, we have to plan these things with a high degree of secrecy and confidentiality out of the security concerns in play.  And that involves everything from how staff gets to Andrews, to how you all get there, to how the President does.  It’s not the same motorcade; it’s not the same footprint.  We have to do things a lot more quietly.

Q -- Does he tell his daughters where he’s going?

MR. RHODES:  I don’t know, you’ll have to ask him that.  But generally speaking, we don’t share these -- we, the staff, don’t share the fact that we’re going to Afghanistan broadly.  And so, again, it’s something that you plan with maximum discretion.  But again, we’ve done it several times, so in some respects it gets easier each time.

Q -- Ben, is it something of it an indictment that after 13 years of war in Afghanistan the President can’t stick around to watch the sunrise there?

MR. RHODES:  Well, look, the fact of the matter is Afghanistan is still a place that is very violent.  And the President of the United States is uniquely a security challenge in terms of providing for his security.  You just don’t want to take any risks with the President’s security.  Obviously, when other Cabinet officials come here they have more robust schedules and more opportunities to move around the country.

Part of what’s happened in Afghanistan is the security challenge has changed over time.  Part of what we see, for instance, now, is less day-to-day combat on the ground between the Taliban and the ANSF and the coalition forces, and a bit of a shift from the Taliban towards more terrorist tactics.  So in the absence of large-scale offensives, at times we’ve seen them move towards more targeted terrorist efforts in Kabul against Western targets.  So that speaks to the fact that in the absence of holding large pieces of territory, they are resorting to terrorist tactics.  That does present a security challenge.

And, look, our view is that we’re not going to leave Afghanistan without -- we’re not going to leave Afghanistan a perfect place.  There’s going to be violence.  But the goal is to leave Afghanistan in a way in which Afghan National Security Forces can provide for the security, can be in the lead, and that a new Afghan government has an opportunity to continue to build democratic institutions.  That’s how wars have to end here in the 21st century where there’s not going to necessarily be a signing ceremony on a battleship.  It’s got to be a hand-off.  And what we’ve done over the last two or three years is have a very methodical hand-off of moving the Afghans into the lead, training and equipping them, and providing that additional support that they need to be prepared.

Q -- Can you just give us on the record -- key staff that’s traveling with the President and any color you have about what he’s been doing on this 13-hour flight?

MR. RHODES:  Sure.  Well, the staff, we have Susan Rice, National Security Advisor; John Podesta, the Counselor to the President, whose son serves in Afghanistan; Jeff Eggers, who’s the President’s Senior Director on the NSC for Afghanistan.  We have Dan Pfeiffer, the President’s Senior Advisor.  And -- am I leaving anybody out?  I think that’s -- and Danielle Crutchfield, who’s the Director of Scheduling and Advance, who help put together the preparations for the trip; and Emmett Beliveau, the Director of the White House Military Office.

The President, in addition to getting some rest, he was able to come back and spend a decent amount of time talking to Brad Paisley and his manager, and thanking him for what’s he’s doing and coming out here on short notice to see the troops.  So the two of them were able to catch up for some time.  And now I think he’s just getting ready to see the troops.

Q-- done any work on the speech?

MR. RHODES:  Not yet.  But --

Q-- 13-hour flight.

MR. RHODES:  All right, thanks, guys.

Weekly Address: Paying Tribute to our Fallen Heroes this Memorial Day

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama commemorated Memorial Day by honoring the brave men and women in uniform who have given their lives in service to our country. As we stand with our veterans and military families this weekend, the President underscored our commitment to uphold our nation’s sacred trust with our veterans and ensure they get the benefits and opportunities they deserve and have earned.

Remarks of President Barack Obama

Weekly Address

The White House

May 24, 2014

Hi, everybody.  It’s Memorial Day weekend – a chance for Americans to get together with family and friends, break out the grill, and kick off the unofficial start of summer.  More importantly, it’s a time to remember the heroes whose sacrifices made these moments possible – our men and women in uniform who gave their lives to keep our nation safe and free.  

From those shots fired at Lexington and Concord more than two centuries ago to our newest generation of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, our history shines with patriots who answered the call to serve.  They put their lives on the line to defend the country they loved.  And in the end, many gave that “last full measure of devotion” so that our nation would endure. 

Every single one of us owes our fallen heroes a profound debt of gratitude.  Because every time we cast our votes or speak our minds without fear, it’s because they fought for our right to do that.  Every chance we get to make a better life for ourselves and our families is possible because generations of patriots fought to keep America a land of opportunity, where anyone – of any race, any religion, from any background – can make it if they try.  Our country was born out of a desire to be free, and every day since, it’s been protected by our men and women in uniform – people who believed so deeply in America, they were willing to give their lives for it. 

We owe them so much.   So this Memorial Day, we’ll gather together, as Americans, to honor the fallen, with both public ceremonies and private remembrances.  And I hope all Americans will take a moment this weekend to think of those who have died in service to our nation.  Say a prayer in their memories and for their families.  Lay a flower where they’ve come to rest.  Reach out to service members, military families or veterans in your community, or families who have lost loved ones, and let them know that their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Most of all, let’s keep working to make sure that our country upholds our sacred trust to all who’ve served.  In recent weeks, we’ve seen again how much more our nation has to do to make sure all our veterans get the care they deserve.  As Commander in Chief, I believe that taking care of our veterans and their families is a sacred obligation.  It’s been one of the causes of my presidency.  And now that we’ve ended the war in Iraq, and as our war in Afghanistan ends as well, we have to work even harder as a nation to make sure all our veterans get the benefits and opportunities they’ve earned.  They’ve done their duty, and they ask nothing more than that this country does ours – now and for decades to come. 

Happy Memorial Day, everybody.  May God watch over our fallen heroes.  And may He continue to bless the United States of America.