underpinned by advancing taliban forces on the ground the taliban stronghold khandahar fell in november. celebrations. from the york of repression. that i was so happy that until now it was like a prisoner of my beard and i'm free meanwhile so was osama bin laden the man the u.s. desperately wanted remained elusive escaping from the tora bora cave network but between the battle lines the violence unleashed on anniston afghans was beginning to a marriage of family homes in the chaos of war. when we're in a situation. where we're in a combat zone. unfortunately sometimes mistakes are made. and 2014 most foreign troops withdrew. into the vacuum step to result in taliban who mounted a ruthless guerrilla campaign retaking territory and stepping up its use of suicide attacks by the end this long war had left 40000 civilians dead. after the blast it was a horrific scene many people were on the ground and i managed to get myself to the ambulance. i don't know what happened next. when the 1st hints of a truce were revealed enemy fighters on the street. after so many years of violence and vengean

valiant service members intelligence warriors and world class different paths who have served in khandahar and in helmand and all over afghanistan know firsthand what i mean they know what i mean exactly and we know exactly who we're dealing with if the taliban do not up hold their commitments president trump and his team will not hesitate to do what we must do to protect american lives. if on the other hand the taliban abide by their promises the united states will undertake a responsible conditions based troop withdrawal that withdrawal that withdrawal means that our men and women you know more will incur fewer risks our financial burden will be east and our brave troops will return home. this is a hopeful moment but it's only the beginning there's a great deal of hard work ahead on the diplomatic front finally let me speak directly to those invested in afghanistan 1st to america's military and intelligence warriors i know that some of you may be on your 5th or 6th tours of duty maybe even more far from the comforts of home as the cia director it was my honor to join you in dealing blow