WEST POINT, NY - Tonight, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a West Point graduate and former Army officer, joined President Obama at West Point as he outlined his strategy for the way forward in Afghanistan. Following the President's speech, Reed issued a statement:

"Tonight the President made a clear and compelling case for why our presence in Afghanistan is vital to protecting America. After a careful, deliberative, province-by-province review, President Obama laid out a comprehensive strategy to defeat al Qaeda, accelerate the training of Afghan security forces so that they can eventually lead the fight, and provide civilian assistance to improve Afghan governance.

"This plan also emphasizes the importance of our partnership with Pakistan in targeting extremists who operate across the border and threaten the security of the region and our country.

"The Bush Administration and its Republican allies chose to pursue a war in Iraq which took the pressure off al Qaeda and the Taliban and allowed Osama bin Laden to remain at large. Tonight, President Obama laid out a plan to aggressively target those who seek to turn Afghanistan back into a safe haven for international terrorists.

"President Obama is providing our military commanders with the resources they need and has secured commitments for an increase in troop strength from our allies.

"He also outlined a real commitment to Afghanistan's ability to stand on its own. Boosting civilian assistance and the capacity of the Afghan government will be key to building a stable Afghanistan where the Afghan people, not the Taliban or terrorists, control their future."