U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker and Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of NATO and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan, meet with fellow Marines Sgt. Stephen Cole, (far right), and Cpl. Rodolfo Flores, assigned to the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group, Kabul, Afghanistan, following a Sept. 11, 2011, commemoration. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Michael O'Connor) (Released)

Ambassador Crocker, Ministers, Excellencies, Undersecretary of Defence Flornouy, distinguished guests, ISAF and Embassy community. It is good to be with you this morning.

On a clear September morning, 10 years ago today, two airplanes sliced through the New York City skyline and into the World Trade Center buildings. Less than an hour later, an airplane crashed into the Pentagon. And minutes later, another – also heading for our nation’s capital – plummeted to the earth in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

When it was over, nearly three thousand innocent people were dead. The attacks were an act of inhuman brutality and terrorism on a scale not seen before. On that day, we lost mothers and fathers, sons and daughters. We lost people of many nations and of many religions. Today, we remember and we honor them all.

But we also remember that out of the rubble and the destruction of that day, we saw America at its best. We saw in countless acts of compassion and charity. That which we admire most in our nation.

We saw it in the thousands of young men and women who decided – after that day – to join the military and to swear an oath to protect the precious principles and values of our Constitution and to protect the American people. In the ten years since, since those attacks, many of those men and women have served here in Afghanistan. Some have done multiple tours. Some have died – offering their last full measure of their devotion.

This generation of warriors is among the finest group of young leaders our nation has ever produced. Today, we pay tribute to these courageous men and women as well.

On September 11, 2001, ten years ago today, Americans and citizens of the world came together in a spirit of unity – and we made a collective pledge: it will never happen again.

That pledge is why we came to Afghanistan. The terrorists who attacked us exploited this ancient land and the Afghan people for their murderous and their ruinous ends. In the months following September 11th, a new partnership was forged between the people of America, our Coalition partners, and the Afghan people…a partnership to build a more secure Afghanistan.

The last ten years have not been easy. Both the International Coalition and the Afghans have endured much hardship. We have suffered setbacks and difficult moments. And, to be sure, there are challenges ahead.

But, today – on this sacred day of remembrance – I can say with confidence that – together – we are on the path of success in Afghanistan. We have put immense and unrelenting pressure on Al Qaeda. Today, Al Qaeda is severely degraded.

We have eliminated much of its leadership and many of its foot soldiers. We have disrupted the networks that used to offer it support.

Yet, Al Qaeda remains a real threat… The job is not complete, but we will constantly pressure Al Qaeda, we will relentlessly pursue Al Qaeda, and when we find Al Qaeda wherever it is and we will deal with it. And those who would aid Al Qaeda and those who would shelter and support Al Qaeda would do well not to miscalculate America’s ultimate resolve: Al Qaeda will be defeated.

We also remember today that it was Mullah Omar and the Taliban who gave al Qaeda aid and comfort and safe haven to plan this assault on America, and ultimately the West and untold thousands of innocent men and women of all faiths. And now they seek to roll back the gains of the last decade and reset the clock to the darkness of Taliban regime.
 
ISAF and Afghan security forces have not only reversed the momentum of the insurgents, we have ripped them from their strongholds, and we have them on their heels. They have responded with a series of high-profile attacks – a wave of terror seeking to frighten the Afghan people into submission.

It is not working.
 
We know that the insurgents are struggling. We see it in the territory they have lost. We see it in the increasing resentment and contempt of the Taliban foot soldiers for their leaders…who choose to absent themselves from the battlefield, safely away from the fight, issuing orders from the comfort of foreign lands.

We see it in the increasing willingness of insurgents to stop fighting and in their desire for reintegration into their communities. We welcome reintegration, we will work with our Afghan partners to ensure the insurgents who want to stop fighting are welcomed safely back home. And thus, reintegration is the means to peace…it is the best option.

But make no mistake, we will capture or we will kill those who continue to fight…those that continue to assault the Afghan government and the Afghan people. The insurgents cannot win… They offer nothing to the people of Afghanistan but a return to the darkness of the nineties… and they will lose.

We also know that we are on the path to success because of what we are seeing from our brothers in the Afghan National Security Forces. They are emerging as a strong and capable fighting force.
 
In the past eighteen months, the ANSF – the ANSF – has expanded by more than 90,000 members. And while much work remains, they have made enormous strides in effectiveness. The ANSF are now in the lead providing security for 25 percent of the Afghan people…and they will Transition to the security-lead country-wide by the end of 2014.

They – THEY – are the future of securing Afghanistan.

We see it also in the advancements made in education, health, economic opportunity, women’s rights, human rights, and other areas about which Ambassador Crocker has spoken so eloquently this morning.

Still, we do not underestimate the challenges ahead: a resilient insurgency, interference from outside the country, and those – the people of Afghanistan must know that we will not abandon the Afghan people. The US and our international partners are committed to a durable and enduring partnership with Afghanistan.

Our vision for the future of this country is clear. Together, shoulder to shoulder, shona ba shona, we are on a path to achieving an Afghanistan for the Afghan people:

• With a government that represents them, with security forces that protect them, and with an enduring partnership with the International Community that supports them.

We have much work to do, and there will be challenges ahead. However, I am confident that, together, we will achieve this vision. It is a vision within our grasp.

So today, we honor those who have fought and died for our collective security during the last ten years. We pay tribute to those who are still fighting.

And we remember those who were lost on that bright September morning. We will always remember them and they will be forever with us. At times like these I am reminded of Laurence Binyon’s epic poem “For the Fallen” and the lines:
They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We shall remember them. We shall remember them.

…And today we renew that sacred pledge. We will not let this happen again. We will finish the job here in Afghanistan… Together with the Afghan people - we WILL prevail! We will prevail.
 
Thank you.