President Barack Obama spoke to thousands of troops in Afghanistan Sunday, during a surprise six-hour trip to the war zone, his first.
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The president told the 2,500 troops at Bagram Air Base, “Your services are absolutely necessary, absolutely essential to America’s safety and security.”
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Obama also said that if the Taliban were allowed to come back into power Americans would be less safe. “Those folks back home are relying on you,” he told the troops.
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Obama visited the country in part to put pressure on local leaders to end the corruption that has become endemic here.
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Obama told Afghan President Hamid Karzai that although progress has been made, “We also want to continue make progress on the civilian front.” Here he inspects local troops at the Presidential Palace.
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Obama meets with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Karzai promised changes that would increase the country’s security and accountability.
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Obama told the trooops: “If this region slides backwards, if the Taliban retakes this country, al-Qaida can operate with impunity, then more American lives will be at stake, the Afghan people will lose their opportunity for progress and prosperity and the world will be significantly less secure. As long as I’m your commander in chief, I’m not going to let that happen.”
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Obama also pledged that, “We are going to disrupt and dismantle, defeat and destroy al-Qaeda and its extremist allies.” The Sept. 11 terror attacks carried out by al-Qaeda were hatched in Afghanistan.
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The president spoke in a giant tent known as a “clam shell.” At least 945 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan since the U.S. campaign started in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.
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Obama has ordered the tripling of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, while setting a timeline for withdrawal. Here he visits with troops in the Dragon dining facility at Bagram Air Base.
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President Barack Obama greets military personnel in Dragon dining facility.
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This one’s probably going on Facebook: Troops strike a pose as President Barack Obama, seen background, greets military personnel in Dragon dining facility.
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