United States President Barack Obama on Monday said that his decision to send an additional 40,000 troops to war-ravaged Afghanistan will not be taken in haste.
"I will never rush the solemn decision of sending you into harm's way. I won't risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary," Obama pledged to 3,000 marines, naval officers and their families, who packed into an airplane hangar at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, US.
"And, if it is necessary, we will back you up to the hilt. Because you deserve the strategy, the clear mission, and the defined goals, as well as the equipment and support that you need to get the job done," Politico quoted him as saying.
Obama also offered his condolences to the families and loved ones of the14 Americans -- 11 soldiers and three civilians -- who were killed in two helicopter crashes in Afghanistan on Monday, making it one of the deadliest days of the war.
"And while no words can ease the ache in their hearts today, may they find some comfort in knowing this: like all those who give their lives in service to America, they were doing their duty and they were doing this nation proud," Obama said.
"They were willing to risk their lives, in this case, to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for the Al Qaeda and its extremist allies," he added.
The timing of the deaths could not be worse for the president, who already faces a shaky Afghan government, waning American support for the war, and increasing reluctance among members of his own political party to commit more troops to a worsening conflict with seemingly no end.
Obama is expected to make a decision on a new strategy for Afghanistan in the coming weeks. The president has signaled that he could wait until after the war-torn country holds a presidential run-off election on November 7.
The president's speech, at the start of a two-day trip through Florida, broadened the reach of his discussions on a new Afghanistan strategy to include rank-and-file service members.
Previously, the president has been briefed on the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan by the war's US commander, General Stanley McChrystal; he has spoken with members of the US Congress; and he's held six meetings with members of his administration, including one on Monday morning with his national security team in the White House Situation Room.
