Obama to Troops: 'You Will Succeed'
The Hill reports:
President Obama made a surprise trip to Afghanistan on Friday where he thanked U.S. troops and praised their efforts in the country.
With the war in its ninth year and Obama's year-end review of the war strategy he put in place just days away, the president flew through the night to say thank you to the troops during the holiday season.
The trip steered Obama's message to foreign policy as Friday's disappointing jobs report cast a cloud over the president's domestic agenda.
"I wanted to make sure that I could spend a little time this holiday with the men and women of the finest fighting force that the world has ever known," Obama said to raucous applause.
The president told the more than 3,000 troops gathered at Bagram Air Base that the additional troops he ordered to the country are now in place, "and thanks to your service, we are making important progress."
"You will succeed in your mission," Obama said.
Obama ordered an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan in a speech at West Point about one year ago.
"We said we were going to break the Taliban's momentum, and that's what you're doing," Obama said. "Going on offense. Tired of being on defense."
The president noted that he met with wounded soldiers before addressing the troops, and he awarded some purple hearts at the Bagram hospital.
"This is a tough business," Obama said, wiping at his eye. "Progress comes slow, and there are going to be difficult days ahead."
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