    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [September 26, 2008]
    [Pages 1248-1250]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Video Teleconference With Military and Civilian
    Leaders in Afghanistan
    September 26, 2008

        President Bush. President, welcome. I'm
    pleased to be joined by President Karzai and members of his Government,
    as we've just had a discussion with our fellow citizens represented here
    on the screen. We had a real-time SVTS with PRT members in Kunar and
    Nangarhar Provinces in Afghanistan, plus the Governors--the Afghan
    Governors.
        My reaction to our conversation is, one, there was promise and
    progress. No question, it's difficult. But if you listen to the people
    who are actually on the ground working with the citizens of Afghanistan
    on matters such as agriculture or education or

    [[Page 1249]]

    infrastructure, you'll understand why I said that there is progress and
    promise and hope.
        And so I want to thank my fellow citizens, Mr. President, in your
    presence, for their sacrifice and service. Three of the PRT members are
    here, Provincial Reconstruction Teams. This is a central part of a
    counterinsurgency strategy, which combines economic development,
    education, infrastructure with security, all aiming to help this young
    democracy not only survive, but to thrive, so that it never becomes a
    safe haven for those would do us harm again.
        I've had a grand experience in dealing with President
    Karzai. He and I have known each other for a
    long time.
        President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan.
    Exactly.
        President Bush. We--I can remember when I was informed that our
    special forces rescued President Karzai during
    the liberation of Afghanistan. He was stuck out there wondering whether
    he was going to make it----
        President Karzai. Top of the mountain.
        President Bush. We sent some good troops in and pulled him out. And
    he has served his country then, and he's served
    his country now as the President. And I admire your leadership and your
    determination to succeed. And I want to welcome you here. I want to let
    you know that the United States is committed to the people of
    Afghanistan. We will stand by your side and do the hard work necessary
    to achieve our objective. And our objective is for you to become a
    thriving democracy and to deny Al Qaida and other extremists a safe
    haven or a base from which to launch their murderous attacks.
        Welcome.
        President Karzai. Thank you, President. Mr.
    President, thank you very much for seeing me and my delegation once
    again, so graciously, and with tremendous hospitality, as always, in the
    White House.
        Mr. President, my trip this time to Washington, as I insisted to be
    here with you, is for one reason alone, and that is to thank you and,
    through you, the American people for all that you have done for
    Afghanistan. You can't imagine here in Washington, especially at the
    White House, how much difference you have made to the lives of the
    Afghan people by your personal commitment to Afghanistan, by your
    commitment for the betterment of Afghan life, for the security of the
    Afghan people, the democracy of the Afghan people, for education and
    health and all that we discussed earlier with the PRTs and the Afghan
    Governors.
        At times in this, the span of 7 years, we have come across issues
    that gives us a feeling as if things were slowing down. That is not the
    impression that we have in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has made progress
    that we would have not been able to make in 50 years or 60 years--what
    you have done in the past 6 or 7 years. We have rebuilt in 4 years more
    than 3,500 of our roads. We have millions of children. We have more than
    85,000 of our babies, infants, and children now saved each year. Infant
    mortality is down; health care from 9 percent to 85 percent. National
    reserves, I will share that for you now, from $180 million of 2002 to
    $3.5 billion today--over $3 billion today.
        Life is better. Of course we have challenges, and the challenges
    will continue to face us as we move ahead. The success is already there;
    the success will be completed. You will be leaving office, Mr.
    President, together with the Vice President, in a few months from today,
    but I would like you to remember as you leave office that Afghanistan
    will remember you tremendously, nicely, with affection. And you are
    there in our memory in a golden plate. Come and visit us so we can show
    it to you in a manner that we do traditionally in Afghanistan.
        President Bush. Yes, sir.
        President Karzai. It's an honor to have
    associated with you, to have had your friendship, and to have had your
    support

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    and to have had your patience with me and some of our habits up there.
    [Laughter]. Very, very nice of you. I have yelled at times, I've been
    angry at times, but you've always been smiling and generous, and that's
    so nice of you.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir.
        President Karzai. Thank you very much.
        President Bush. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 3 p.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the White
    House.