US Presidency
2009

And it will allow us to compete in this century as successfully as we did in the last. That's why our troop commitment in Afghanistan can not be open-ended because the nation that I am most interested in building is our own. Now, let me be clear: None of this will be easy. The struggle against violent extremism will not be finished quickly, and it extends well beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan. It will be an enduring test of our free society, and our leadership in the world. And unlike the great power conflicts and clear lines of division that defined the 20th century, our effort will involve disorderly regions, failed states, diffuse enemies. So as a result, America will have to show our strength in the way that we end wars and prevent conflict not just how we wage wars. We'll have to be nimble and precise in our use of military power.