[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

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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.