President Obama marks end of combat in Afghanistan

Story by CNN
Written by Kevin Liptak

Honolulu -- Thirteen years and more than 2,000 American casualties after it began, the war in Afghanistan will conclude responsibly, President Barack Obama said on Sunday.

In a written statement marking the formal end of U.S. combat there, the President said the remaining 10,000 or so American troops in Afghanistan would still face danger but that the longest U.S. war ever was now history.

"Our personnel will continue to face risks, but this reflects the enduring commitment of the United States to the Afghan people and to a united, secure and sovereign Afghanistan that is never again used as a source of attacks against our nation," President Obama said.

American troops went to fight in Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the U.S. spent more than $1 trillion dollars there and lost upwards of 2,200 servicemen and women.

The President vowed to wind the Afghan war down when he took office, eventually announcing this year he would reduce the number of troops stationed there to about 10,000 — a massive reduction from the nearly 150,000 who once served.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/28/politics/obama-afghanistan-end-of-combat/index.html?hpt=hp_t2