Good evening. To the United States Corps of Cadets, to the men and women of our Armed Services, and...

As we know, these men belonged to al Qaeda -- a group of extremists who have distorted and defiled...

Under the banner of this domestic unity and international legitimacy -- and only after the Taliban...

Today, after extraordinary costs, we are bringing the Iraq war to a responsible end. We will remove...

Over the last several years, the Taliban has maintained common cause with al Qaeda, as they both seek...

Since then, we've made progress on some important objectives. High-ranking al Qaeda and Taliban leaders...

As cadets, you volunteered for service during this time of danger. Some of you fought in Afghanistan....

I do not make this decision lightly. I opposed the war in Iraq precisely because I believe that we...

So, no, I do not make this decision lightly. I make this decision because I am convinced that our...

These facts compel us to act along with our friends and allies. Our overarching goal remains the...

We will meet these objectives in three ways. First, we will pursue a military strategy that will...

Because this is an international effort, I've asked that our commitment be joined by contributions...

Second, we will work with our partners, the United Nations, and the Afghan people to pursue a more...

The people of Afghanistan have endured violence for decades. They've been confronted with occupation...

We're in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country. But this...

In the past, we too often defined our relationship with Pakistan narrowly. Those days are over. ...

I recognize there are a range of concerns about our approach. So let me briefly address a few of...

Second, there are those who acknowledge that we can't leave Afghanistan in its current state, but...

As President, I refuse to set goals that go beyond our responsibility, our means, or our interests....

All told, by the time I took office the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan approached a trillion...

Now, let me be clear: None of this will be easy. The struggle against violent extremism will not...

And we can't count on military might alone. We have to invest in our homeland security, because we...

We'll have to use diplomacy, because no one nation can meet the challenges of an interconnected world...

Since the days of Franklin Roosevelt, and the service and sacrifice of our grandparents and great-grandparents,...

For unlike the great powers of old, we have not sought world domination. Our union was founded in...

In the end, our security and leadership does not come solely from the strength of our arms. It derives...

It's easy to forget that when this war began, we were united -- bound together by the fresh memory...

Thank you. God bless you. May God bless the United States of America. (Applause.) Thank you very...