Category: December 2009

“The 30,000 additional troops that I am announcing tonight will deploy in the first part of 2010 – the fastest pace possible – so that they can target the insurgency and secure key population centers. They will increase our ability to train competent Afghan Security Forces, and to partner with them so that more Afghans…

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Michael Khouri as a Member of the Federal Maritime Commission. President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individual today: Michael Khouri, Nominee for Member, Federal Maritime Commission Michael A. Khouri has over 35 years of experience in the maritime industry serving in…

President Obama spoke with Pakistani President Asif Zardari by telephone this morning. The two leaders discussed the President’s decision on the way forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The President recognized the profound sacrifices Pakistan has made in its efforts to combat extremists in its northwest and emphasized that our goal is to defeat al-Qaida and…

President Obama spoke with President Karzai on the evening of November 30 via video teleconference for one hour about the way ahead in Afghanistan. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to work closely together to ensure stability in Afghanistan and to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for terrorists. They also discussed a…

I send my best wishes to all those who will celebrate Romanian National Day. Our nations share nearly 130 years of relations, and Romania remains a close ally and partner as we face the challenges of the world. I especially offer my congratulations to the Romanian-American community that are observing this occasion.

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Obama applauded the House for passing financial reform legislation and called on the Senate to continue working toward meaningful reform that stands up for consumers, sets clear rules of the road for businesses and investors and restores a sense of responsibility and accountability to both Wall Street and…

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Obama said the jobs numbers released yesterday indicate that the job loss trend is improving, but that his administration remains committed to accelerating these trends and putting more Americans back to work. Next week, the President will announce additional ideas about growing the economy and adding jobs to…

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Obama praised the strong patient protections in the health insurance reform bills in Congress, and called on Senators to stop blocking this critical reform effort. The legislation contains many of the protections originally proposed in the bipartisan Patient’s Bill of Rights a decade ago, plus additional protections and…

WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama offered their best Christmas wishes to families across the country, and expressed their gratitude to the men and women of the American military and their families for their service to the country. The First Couple encouraged Americans to visit www.whitehouse.gov to…