Obama Warns Of Tough Fight Ahead In Afghanistan

President Barack Obama has warned America still faces "a very tough fight in Afghanistan" as combat operations in Iraq come to an end.

In remarks to soldiers at Fort Bliss Army Base in El Paso, Texas, President Obama said his speech to the nation to mark the end of Iraq combat operations is "not going to be a victory lap."

"It’s not going to be self-congratulatory. There’s still a lot of work that we’ve got to do to make sure that Iraq is an effective partner with us. But the fact of the matter is that because of the extraordinary service that all of you have done, and so many people here at Fort Bliss have done, Iraq has an opportunity to create a better future for itself, and America is more secure," he said.

He said the task in Iraq is not yet completed.

"Our combat phase is over, but we’ve worked too hard to neglect the continuing work that has to be done by our civilians and by those transitional forces," he said.

"The work that continues is absolutely critical: providing training and assistance to Iraqi security forces because there’s still violence in Iraq, and they’re still learning how to secure their country the way they need to. And they’ve made enormous strides thanks to the training that they’ve already received. But there’s still more work to do there," he said.

Turning his attention to the war in Afghanistan, President Obama said casualties have gone up because coalition forces are taking the fight to al Qaeda and the Taliban and their allies.

"It is going to be a tough slog, but what I know is that after 9/11, this country was unified in saying we are not going to let something like that happen again. And we are going to go after those who perpetrated that crime, and we are going to make sure that they do not have safe haven."

He said under the command of General Petraeus, the troops are in a position to start taking the fight to the terrorists.

"And that’s going to mean some casualties and it’s going to mean some heartbreak. But the one thing that I know from all of you is that when we put our minds to it, we get things done. And we’re willing to make some sacrifices on behalf of our security here at home," he said.

(C) NewsRoom America 2010