Washington: The momentum of Taliban has
been broken and remaining al Qaeda operatives are scrambling to escape from the US` reach, President Barack Obama has said.
This decisive blow against these extremist organisations
has been mainly because of the focused approach and end of war
in Iraq, US President said in his State of the Union address
to the Congress.
"Ending the Iraq war has allowed us to strike decisive
blows against our enemies. From Pakistan to Yemen, al Qaeda
operatives who remain are scrambling, knowing that they can’t
escape the reach of the United States of America," he said.
"From this position of strength, we have begun to wind
down the war in Afghanistan. 10,000 of our troops have come
home. 23,000 more will leave by the end of this summer.
"This transition to Afghan lead will continue, and we
will build an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, so that it is never again a source of attacks against America," he said in his speech to the US Congress.
Moments after he drove drown from White House to Capitol Hill, Obama told lawmakers that this generation of heroes has
made the US safer and more respected around the world.
"For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans
fighting in Iraq. For the first time in two decades, Osama bin
Laden is not a threat to this country. Most of al Qaeda`s top
lieutenants have been defeated. Taliban`s momentum has been
broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home," he said.
"These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of US` Armed Forces. At a time when
too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all
expectations. They are not consumed with personal ambition.
They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on the
mission at hand. They work together," Obama said.
PTI
