[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 38 (Monday, September 29, 2008)]
[Pages 1263-1264]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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 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

[[Page 1264]]

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 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.