Earlier today, President Obama delivered a statement on the current situation in Libya:

The situation [in Libya] is still very fluid. There remains a degree of uncertainty and there are still regime elements who pose a threat. But this much is clear: The Qaddafi regime is coming to an end, and the future of Libya is in the hands of its people.

In just six months, the 42-year reign of Muammar Qaddafi has unraveled. Earlier this year, we were inspired by the peaceful protests that broke out across Libya. This basic and joyful longing for human freedom echoed the voices that we had heard all across the region, from Tunis to Cairo. In the face of these protests, the Qaddafi regime responded with brutal crackdowns. Civilians were murdered in the streets. A campaign of violence was launched against the Libyan people. Qaddafi threatened to hunt peaceful protestors down like rats. As his forces advanced across the country, there existed the potential for wholesale massacres of innocent civilians. In the face of this aggression, the international community took action.

In the early days of this intervention the United States provided the bulk of the firepower, and then our friends and allies stepped forward. The Transitional National Council established itself as a credible representative of the Libyan people. And the United States, together with our European allies and friends across the region, recognized the TNC as the legitimate governing authority in Libya.

The President continued:

As we move forward, we should also recognize the extraordinary work that has already been done. To the American people, these events have particular resonance. Qaddafi’s regime has murdered scores of American citizens in acts of terror in the past. Today we remember the lives of those who were taken in those acts of terror and stand in solidarity with their families. We also pay tribute to Admiral Sam Locklear and all of the men and women in uniform who have saved so many lives over the last several months, including our brave pilots that have executed their mission with skill and extraordinary bravery. And all of this was done without putting a single U.S. troop on the ground.

Click here to read the President’s full statement.

In Politico today, New Jersey Congressman Steve Rothman penned an op-ed touting President Obama’s pro-Israel credentials. Rothman, a member of the House Defense and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittees, argued that the shared interests and military and intelligence cooperation between the United States and Israel has never been as stronger.

Although Republican 2012 hopefuls have tried to use it as a talking point on the campaign trail, Israel should not be a partisan issue. Rothman makes that case with the facts on the ground:

Obama and his administration have overseen the largest-ever increase of military cooperation and aid to Israel; used his first U.N. Security Council veto to stop an anti-Israel resolution criticizing Israel’s settlement policies, and, reportedly, worked with the Israelis to create the Stuxnet computer virus to attack Iran’s nuclear program. Republicans, however, still label the president as anti-Israel.

Continuing, Rothman cites the March 2^nd Congressional testimony of former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who said:  

In terms of concrete steps to improve the security relationship between [the U.S. and Israel], more has been done in the last two years than in any comparable period in my entire career.

Rothman also notes that Gates’ career in the CIA began in 1966.

After elaborating specific joint-military ventures between the United States and Israel, as well as our shared commitment to preventing Iranian nuclear capabilities, Rothman concludes by talking about his hope for peace between Israel and the Palestinians:

We in the pro-Israel community continue to work, hope and pray for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. I believe that the Palestinians should recognize the Jewish State, end incitement and join Israel at the peace negotiating table without preconditions.

A secure two-state solution, negotiated in good faith, is in both nations’ long-term interests. But in the meantime, where issues speaking to Israel’s existence hang in the balance, the Obama administration has given — and continues to provide — unprecedented support for the defense and security of Israel.

Read the full op-ed in Politico.

Yesterday evening, President Obama addressed the nation from the White House and announced the gradual withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. The President plans to bring home 10,000 troops by the end of this year, 33,000 by next summer, and complete the transition by 2014.

Read President Obama’s full remarks from last night.

Yesterday evening, President Obama addressed the nation from the White House and announced the gradual withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan. The President plans to bring home 10,000 troops by the end of this year, 33,000 by next summer, and complete the transition by 2014.

Read President Obama’s full remarks from last night.

Tonight starting at 8:00 p.m. ET, President Obama will address the nation about our military operations in Afghanistan.

Check your local television listing or watch live at 8:00 p.m. ET on whitehouse.gov/live.

Tonight starting at 8:00 p.m. ET, President Obama will address the nation about our military operations in Afghanistan.

Check your local television listing or watch live at 8:00 p.m. ET on whitehouse.gov/live.

President Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron co-authored an op-ed in the Times of London today. It is currently live on their website.

Not Just special, but an essential relationship

It’s not only history that binds us. Whether fighting wars or rebuilding the economy, our needs and beliefs are the same

Both of us came of age during the 1980s. Like so many others, we recall a turbulent decade that began with armies confronting each other across a divided Europe and ended with the Berlin Wall coming down, millions freed from the shackles of communism and human dignity extended across the continent.

The Cold War reached this conclusion because of the actions of many brave individuals and many strong nations, but we saw how the bond between our two countries — and our two leaders at the time — proved such a vital catalyst for change. It reminded us that when the United States and Britain stand together, our people and people around the world can become more secure and more prosperous.

And that is the key to our relationship. Yes, it is founded on a deep emotional connection, by sentiment and ties of people and culture. But the reason it thrives, the reason why this is such a natural partnership, is because it advances our common interests and shared values. It is a perfect alignment of what we both need and what we both believe. And the reason it remains strong is because it delivers time and again. Ours is not just a special relationship, it is an essential relationship — for us and for the world.

So as we meet today, facing immense economic, social and strategic challenges, it is natural that once again our two nations join together in common cause. Today the foundations of our partnership are rock solid. Our servicemen and women serve alongside one another, whether fighting in Helmand, protecting innocent people in Libya or combating piracy off the Horn of Africa. Every day our diplomats and security and intelligence agencies work together. We are working urgently to de-escalate tensions and prevent a return to war in Sudan’s contested Abyei region. And we are unified in our support for a lasting peace between a secure Israel and a sovereign Palestine.

And we can honestly say that despite being two leaders from two different political traditions, we see eye to eye. We look at the world in a similar way, share the same concerns and see the same strategic possibilities. So we will build on the relationship between the UK and US, working closely together on areas of common interest to make it stronger still.

 

One area where we need to co-operate is on rebuilding our economies. In the past few years, the global economy has gone through a profound shock. And what’s at stake now is whether new jobs and businesses take root in our countries or somewhere else. Now we are two different countries but our destination must be the same: strong and stable growth, reduced deficits and reform of our financial systems — so that they will never again be open to the abuses of the past.

Governments do not create jobs: bold people and innovative businesses do. We know that our nations are self-reliant and infused with the entrepreneurial spirit. We have proud traditions of out-innovating and out-building the rest of the world — and of doing it together. Today the US remains the largest investor in Britain, and Britain the largest investor in the US — each supporting around a million jobs in our countries. We want to encourage more of this exchange of capital, goods and ideas. So this week we will reaffirm our commitment to strong collaboration between our universities and research facilities.

We must also co-operate on ensuring our shared security. The death of Osama bin Laden marks the most significant blow against al-Qaeda since its inception — but it does not mark the end of the terror. Al-Qaeda and its affiliates will continue to pursue attacks against our countries so we must work together to protect our people from their poisonous ideology and the violence that flows from it. This means sharing information so we trace, track and disrupt terrorist plots — and bring those who plan them to justice. There can be no impunity and no refuge for those who wish to do us harm. And yes, this also means continuing our mission in Afghanistan, training the Afghan national army and police so they can provide security for their country, and our troops can come home.

But we also need to understand why people can become attracted to violent extremism in the first place. When young men and women feel that their rights are not respected, they can become more prone to the narrative of separateness and victimhood that al-Qaeda’s ideology feeds off. This is just one reason why recent events in the Arab world and Middle East are so momentous. What we are seeing there is a groundswell of people demanding the basic rights, freedoms and dignities that we take for granted. We all share in their success or failure.

Progress in the region will be uneven and it is not our place to dictate the pace and scope of this change. But we will stand with those who want to bring light into dark, support those who seek freedom in place of repression, aid those laying the building blocks of democracy. We do so because democracy and respect for universal rights is a good for the people of the region, and also because it’s a key part of the antidote to the instability and extremism that threatens our security. And we will not stand by as their aspirations get crushed in a hail of bombs, bullets and mortar fire. We are reluctant to use force but when our interests and values come together we know that we have a responsibility to act.

This is why we mobilised the international community to protect the Libyan people from Colonel Gaddafi’s regime. We have degraded his war machine and prevented a humanitarian catastrophe. And we will continue to enforce the UN resolutions with our allies until they are completely complied with. Our actions in Libya are not, and will never be, a burden that our countries carry alone. We will work with partners so that they share the load and the costs and continue to support the legitimate and credible Transitional National Council and its efforts to prepare for an inclusive, democratic transition. Together we show the world that the principles of justice and freedom will be upheld by all.

Our efforts against al-Qaeda — and our mission in Libya — are critical to the type of world that we want to build. Bin Laden’s ideology is one that has failed to take hold. Gaddafi’s reign represents the region’s past. We stand for something different. We see the prospect of democracy and universal rights taking hold in the Arab world, and it fills us with confidence and a renewed commitment to an alliance based not just on interests but on values. Yes, we are mindful of the risks and aware of the uncertainties. But we stand together, optimistic and confident that our two nations can achieve peace, prosperity and security in the years ahead.

Array

Over the past six months, the world has witnessed uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa by people demanding change, basic human rights, and fair treatment by their government. Today at the State Department, President Obama spoke about that change, its impetus, and the role of the U.S. in the region moving forward.

The President drew a contrast between the grisly acts of terrorism by al Qaeda and peaceful protests by ordinary citizens, and spoke about how self-determination can spark movements for change – as it did recently in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria, and as it did 250 years ago in the American colonies:

There must be no doubt that the United States of America welcomes change that advances self-determination and opportunity. Yes, there will be perils that accompany this moment of promise.  But after decades of accepting the world as it is in the region, we have a chance to pursue the world as it should be.

… Those shouts of human dignity are being heard across the region. And through the moral force of nonviolence, the people of the region have achieved more change in six months than terrorists have accomplished in decades.

In a break from past U.S. policy more limited to a narrow set of strategic interests, the President charted a new course today – one that fosters a greater partnership and shared goals between the U.S. and the Arab world. He addressed those core values and asserted that they would instruct U.S. policy in the future:

The United States opposes the use of violence and repression against the people of the region. 

The United States supports a set of universal rights. And these rights include free speech, the freedom of peaceful assembly, the freedom of religion, equality for men and women under the rule of law, and the right to choose your own leaders – whether you live in Baghdad or Damascus, Sanaa or Tehran.        

And we support political and economic reform in the Middle East and North Africa that can meet the legitimate aspirations of ordinary people throughout the region.

President Obama made clear that the future legitimacy of these governments depends on their willingness to ensure their citizens have access to information; that journalists are free to report; that minorities are protected and respected; and that people have the right to vote and hold their government accountable. Those pillars are crucial to a successful democracy.

In addition to supporting political and human rights reform in the region, the President laid out steps to support economic change as well. He refocused the scope of U.S. involvement to include trade and investment to help generate jobs and increase economic productivity, a goal which also leads to greater empowerment, stability, and “broad-based prosperity.”

Lastly, the President addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He described a new path to peace, the rights and responsibilities of both states, and the role he envisions for the surrounding nations that all have a vested interest in a diplomatic and timely resolution:

That is the choice that must be made – not simply in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but across the entire region – a choice between hate and hope; between the shackles of the past and the promise of the future. It’s a choice that must be made by leaders and by the people, and it’s a choice that will define the future of a region that served as the cradle of civilization and a crucible of strife.

President Obama recognizes that progress will not be easy, but also that our country was “founded on the belief that people should govern themselves”:

And now we cannot hesitate to stand squarely on the side of those who are reaching for their rights, knowing that their success will bring about a world that is more peaceful, more stable, and more just.

Click here to read the President's full speech.

Over the past six months, the world has witnessed uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa by people demanding change, basic human rights, and fair treatment by their government. Today at the State Department, President Obama spoke about that change, its impetus, and the role of the U.S. in the region moving forward.

The President drew a contrast between the grisly acts of terrorism by al Qaeda and peaceful protests by ordinary citizens, and spoke about how self-determination can spark movements for change – as it did recently in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria, and as it did 250 years ago in the American colonies:

There must be no doubt that the United States of America welcomes change that advances self-determination and opportunity. Yes, there will be perils that accompany this moment of promise.  But after decades of accepting the world as it is in the region, we have a chance to pursue the world as it should be.

… Those shouts of human dignity are being heard across the region. And through the moral force of nonviolence, the people of the region have achieved more change in six months than terrorists have accomplished in decades.

In a break from past U.S. policy more limited to a narrow set of strategic interests, the President charted a new course today – one that fosters a greater partnership and shared goals between the U.S. and the Arab world. The President addressed those core values and asserted that they would instruct U.S. policy in the future:

The United States opposes the use of violence and repression against the people of the region. 

The United States supports a set of universal rights. And these rights include free speech, the freedom of peaceful assembly, the freedom of religion, equality for men and women under the rule of law, and the right to choose your own leaders – whether you live in Baghdad or Damascus, Sanaa or Tehran.        

And we support political and economic reform in the Middle East and North Africa that can meet the legitimate aspirations of ordinary people throughout the region.

President Obama made clear that the future legitimacy of these governments depends on their willingness to ensure their citizens have access to information; that journalists are free to report; that minorities are protected and respected; and that people have the right to vote and hold their government accountable. Those pillars are crucial to a successful democracy.

In addition to supporting political and human rights reform in the region, the President laid out steps to support economic change as well. He refocused the scope of U.S. involvement to include trade and investment to help generate jobs and increase economic productivity, a goal which also leads to greater empowerment, stability, and “broad-based prosperity.”

Lastly, the President addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He described a new path to peace, the rights and responsibilities of both states, and the role he envisions for the surrounding nations that all have a vested interest in a diplomatic and timely resolution:

That is the choice that must be made – not simply in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but across the entire region – a choice between hate and hope; between the shackles of the past and the promise of the future. It’s a choice that must be made by leaders and by the people, and it’s a choice that will define the future of a region that served as the cradle of civilization and a crucible of strife.

President Obama recognizes that progress will not be easy, but also that our country was “founded on the belief that people should govern themselves”:

And now we cannot hesitate to stand squarely on the side of those who are reaching for their rights, knowing that their success will bring about a world that is more peaceful, more stable, and more just.

Click here to read the President’s full speech.

Over the past six months, the world has witnessed uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa by people demanding change, basic human rights, and fair treatment by their government. Today at the State Department, President Obama spoke about that change, its impetus, and the role of the U.S. in the region moving forward.

The President drew a contrast between the grisly acts of terrorism by al Qaeda and peaceful protests by ordinary citizens, and spoke about how self-determination can spark movements for change – as it did recently in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria, and as it did 250 years ago in the American colonies:

There must be no doubt that the United States of America welcomes change that advances self-determination and opportunity. Yes, there will be perils that accompany this moment of promise.  But after decades of accepting the world as it is in the region, we have a chance to pursue the world as it should be.

… Those shouts of human dignity are being heard across the region. And through the moral force of nonviolence, the people of the region have achieved more change in six months than terrorists have accomplished in decades.

In a break from past U.S. policy more limited to a narrow set of strategic interests, the President charted a new course today – one that fosters a greater partnership and shared goals between the U.S. and the Arab world. He addressed those core values and asserted that they would instruct U.S. policy in the future:

The United States opposes the use of violence and repression against the people of the region. 

The United States supports a set of universal rights. And these rights include free speech, the freedom of peaceful assembly, the freedom of religion, equality for men and women under the rule of law, and the right to choose your own leaders – whether you live in Baghdad or Damascus, Sanaa or Tehran.        

And we support political and economic reform in the Middle East and North Africa that can meet the legitimate aspirations of ordinary people throughout the region.

President Obama made clear that the future legitimacy of these governments depends on their willingness to ensure their citizens have access to information; that journalists are free to report; that minorities are protected and respected; and that people have the right to vote and hold their government accountable. Those pillars are crucial to a successful democracy.

In addition to supporting political and human rights reform in the region, the President laid out steps to support economic change as well. He refocused the scope of U.S. involvement to include trade and investment to help generate jobs and increase economic productivity, a goal which also leads to greater empowerment, stability, and “broad-based prosperity.”

Lastly, the President addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He described a new path to peace, the rights and responsibilities of both states, and the role he envisions for the surrounding nations that all have a vested interest in a diplomatic and timely resolution:

That is the choice that must be made – not simply in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but across the entire region – a choice between hate and hope; between the shackles of the past and the promise of the future. It’s a choice that must be made by leaders and by the people, and it’s a choice that will define the future of a region that served as the cradle of civilization and a crucible of strife.

President Obama recognizes that progress will not be easy, but also that our country was “founded on the belief that people should govern themselves”:

And now we cannot hesitate to stand squarely on the side of those who are reaching for their rights, knowing that their success will bring about a world that is more peaceful, more stable, and more just.

Click here to read the President’s full speech.

Earlier today, President Obama gave his last commencement address of the season, at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. In remarks that were lighthearted, but also reflected the seriousness of the graduates’ future, the President praised the graduates’ devotion and courage and expressed pride in their service to America – service that “will be shaped by the values that have kept us strong for more than 200 years.”

The President told the graduates about a time he visited Afghanistan:

I’ve seen your pride, when I was in, of all places, Afghanistan. I was in Bagram, thanking our troops for their service.  And I was giving a shout-out to every service -- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines. And then, way in the back of the crowd, a voice shouted out: “and Coast Guard!” (Laughter.) There was no ocean in sight. (Laughter.) Not a body of water visible anywhere. (Laughter.) But the Coast Guard was there, serving with honor, as you have in every major conflict that our nation has ever fought.

President Obama also commended the Coast Guard’s ability to respond in times of crisis to help our country and those in need:

In you we see the same courage of the Coast Guardsmen who defended our young nation when we didn’t have a Navy, who preserved our Union, who fought back at Pearl Harbor, who landed our boats on the beaches of Normandy, and who patrolled the rivers of Vietnam. 

In you we see the readiness that has made the Coast Guard one of our nation’s first responders —leading the evacuation of lower Manhattan on 9/11, and often being the very first Americans on the scene, from the earthquake in Haiti to the oil spill in the Gulf.

In you we see the same compassion that has led Coast Guardsmen to pull stranded Americans from the rooftops during Katrina, save desperate migrants clinging to rafts in the Caribbean, and even today, as the Coast Guard rescues Americans from the surging Mississippi. 

As he concluded, the President touched on the character of the American spirit and the work ahead for the graduating cadets:

We Americans are an optimistic people. We know that even the darkest storms pass. We know that a brighter day beckons; that, yes, tomorrow can be a better day. For through two centuries of challenge and change, we have never lost sight of our guiding stars -- the liberty, the justice, the opportunity that we seek for ourselves and the universal freedoms and rights that we stand for around the world.

So, cadets, if we remember this -- if you stay true to the lessons you’ve learned here on the Thames, if we hold fast to what keeps us strong and unique among nations, then I am confident that future historians will look back on this moment and say that when we faced the test of our time, we stood our watch. We did our duty. We continued our American journey. And we passed our country, safer and stronger, to the next generation.

Click here to read the President’s full remarks.

Last night, CBS aired an exclusive interview with President Obama – the President’s only interview last week.

Late Sunday night, President Obama addressed the nation to announce that the United States killed Osama Bin Laden. The President delivered the remarks from the East Room of the White House.

Watch or read those full remarks here.

Late Sunday night, President Obama addressed the nation to announce that the United States killed Osama Bin Laden. The President delivered the following remarks from the East Room of the White House:

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores. 

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people. 

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place. 

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are:  one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Read the President’s full remarks here.