President Barack Obama told reporters Tuesday that although he is concerned that the recent disclosure of sensitive information from Afghanistan’s battlefield may jeopardize operations, the leak of information does not reveal any new information.
“The fact is these documents don’t reveal any issues that haven’t already informed our public debate on Afghanistan,” Obama said. “Indeed, they point to the same challenges that led me to conduct an extensive review of our policy last fall.”
The President said that his change in policy is being reflected in the way the United States has continued its operations in Afghanistan.
“We’ve substantially increased our commitment, insisted upon greater accountability from our partners in Afghanistan and Pakistan, developed a new strategy that can work and put in place a team that can execute that plan,” Obama said. “Now we have to see that strategy through.”
Obama urged the House today to pass legislation that would extend funding to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, legislation that has already unanimously passed through the Senate.