May 2, 2012

 Washington, D.C.---Nevada Senator Harry Reid issued the following statement after President Obama's address from Afghanistan. The speech marked the first anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death.
"Today President Obama announced a new era in American-Afghan relations. Keeping true to his word, President Obama is winding down American involvement in Afghanistan after a long, hard fight to oust the Taliban, put power back in the hands of the Afghan people, and decimate al Qaeda. The agreement signed today by President Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai will protect America's critical security interests in the region, while requiring Afghans to take responsibility for their country's destiny.

"My heart goes out to the families of the American service members who died protecting our nation in Afghanistan, and I thank all of those who risked their lives for our safety. Today's agreement brings us closer to the end of a painful chapter in our nation's history that started on September 11, 2001. Nevertheless, there is still a great deal of work to be done in Afghanistan, and I am encouraged that we now have a roadmap in place to achieve success.

"I thank President Obama for his steady and successful leadership through this difficult process, and look forward to continued work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure that our troops have the resources and support they need to carry out their mission."