Obama on Allegations in Robert Gates’ Book: ‘We Got the Policy Right, but This Is Hard’

secretary gates did an ░░░░░░░░ job for me as ░░░░░░░░ of defense as he ░░░░░░░░ he and i and ░░░░░░░░ rest of my national ░░░░░░░░ team came up with ░░░░░░░░ strategy for afghanistan that ░░░░░░░░ the right strategy and ░░░░░░░░ are continuing to execute ░░░░░░░░ i think that what ░░░░░░░░ important is that we ░░░░░░░░ the policy right but ░░░░░░░░ is hard and it ░░░░░░░░ has been whenever you ░░░░░░░░ men and women that ░░░░░░░░ are sending into harm ░░░░░░░░ way after having already ░░░░░░░░ enormous investments in another ░░░░░░░░ then part of your ░░░░░░░░ as commander in chief ░░░░░░░░ to sweat the details ░░░░░░░░ to recognize that there ░░░░░░░░ enormous sacrifices being made ░░░░░░░░ you re constantly asking ░░░░░░░░ questions about how you ░░░░░░░░ improve the strategy the ░░░░░░░░ news is that because ░░░░░░░░ that strategy that we ░░░░░░░░ up with by the ░░░░░░░░ of this year we ░░░░░░░░ have completed combat operations ░░░░░░░░ afghanistan we are in ░░░░░░░░ position to continue to ░░░░░░░░ the Afghan people in ░░░░░░░░ sure they have a ░░░░░░░░ country that it is ░░░░░░░░ on behalf of the ░░░░░░░░ people and that is ░░░░░░░░ good partner with us ░░░░░░░░ war is never easy ░░░░░░░░ i think that all ░░░░░░░░ us who have been ░░░░░░░░ in that process understand ░░░░░░░░ but i want to ░░░░░░░░ that during this tenure ░░░░░░░░ secretary gates was an ░░░░░░░░ secretaries of defense good ░░░░░░░░ of mine and i ░░░░░░░░ always be grateful for ░░░░░░░░ service. ...