How can he say this after sending Guantanamo detainees back to Afghanistan, and while the Taliban continue to operate with relative impunity? He can say it because he is Obama: he knows that no matter what he says, the mainstream media will cover for him.
“Obama: Afghanistan ‘Not Going to Be a Source of Terrorist Attacks Again,’” by Joel Gehrke, National Review, December 26, 2014:
President Obama promised that Afghanistan is “not going to be a source of terrorist attacks again” during a Christmas meeting with service members, an echo of the pledge he made regarding Iraq before U.S. troops withdrew and the Islamic State took over major cities in the country….
Here are Obama’s remarks, as transcribed in the pool report:
Because of the extraordinary service of the men and women in the Armed Forces, Afghanistan has a chance to rebuild its own country. We are safer. It’s not going to be a source of terrorist attacks again. And we still have some very difficult missions around the world, including in Iraq. We still have folks in Afghanistan helping the Afghan security forces. We have people helping to deal with Ebola in Africa and obviously we have folks stationed all around the world. But the world is better, it’s safer, it’s more peaceful, It’s more prosperous and our homeland is protected because of you and the sacrifices each and every day. So on a day when we celebrate the Prince of Peace and many of us count or blessings one of the greatest blessings we have is the extraordinary dedication and sacrifices you all make. We could not be more thankful. I know I speak for everyone in the entire country when I say, we salute you.