Washington: US President Barack Obama and
First Lady Michelle Obama on Saturday thanked US troops and their
families for their sacrifice and service to the country as
they wished all Americans happy Christmas holidays.
"Our troops are coming home.And across America,
military families are being reunited," the president said in
his weekly radio and Internet address.
He asked Americans to give thanks to these men and women
in uniform for their service.
"And let`s say a prayer for all our troops standing post
all over the world, especially our brave men and women in
Afghanistan who are serving, even as we speak, in harm`s way
to protect the freedoms and security we hold dear," Obama
added.
The first lady reminded listeners that Christmas was a
time to give thanks for the gifts that bless Americans every
single day.
"Our veterans, troops, and military families sacrifice
so much for us," Michelle Obama said. "So this holiday season,
let`s make sure that all of them know just how much we
appreciate everything they do."
US forces completed their withdrawal from Iraq this past
week, formally marking the end of their mission in that
country.
The withdrawal ended a war that left tens of thousands
of Iraqis and nearly 4,500 American soldiers dead, as well as
tens of thousands wounded and 1.75 million Iraqis displaced.
Obama has called the end of the war in Iraq "an
extraordinary achievement" that was made possible by the hard
work and sacrifice of US troops, arguing that it was time the
nation to address the needs of these veterans.
PTI
