Setbacks Won’t Deter Afghanistan Mission, Hillary Clinton Vows
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Win McNamee/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised Wednesday that the U.S. would stay the course in Afghanistan by continuing to hand over security responsibilities to national forces so that the U.S. and NATO can keep their promise to withdraw from the country by 2014.
Doubts have been raised recently over the progress of the war, given the latest string of “insider attacks” against coalition troops that threaten to set back the process of getting Afghan forces up to speed with the Taliban still seemingly intent on achieving a military victory.
With Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul by her side at the State Department, Clinton conceded, “These past few months in particular have presented obstacles and some potential setbacks and we know that difficult days lie ahead.”
Clinton also brought up the grim milestone of 2,000 Americans soldiers having lost their lives in the 11-year-war that came in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The U.S. led an international coalition on Oct. 7, 2001 to destroy al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan as well as ousting the Taliban regime.
She told reporters, “The American people have invested a great deal in Afghanistan’s future and, even though our role in Afghanistan is changing, this partnership will continue.”
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio