WASHINGTON--Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday the
U.S. is setting up a $5 billion "terrorism partnership fund" to
help other countries push back against radical extremists.
Appearing on a host of network morning-show interviews, Mr.
Kerry staunchly defended President Barack Obama's decision to
terminate the U.S. combat role in Afghanistan by the end of the
year.
Referring in an NBC "Today" show interview to a speech Mr. Obama
was set to give later Wednesday at the U.S. Military Academy, Mr.
Kerry said President Obama is telling the Afghans "by a specific
time they have to take over management of their own security and
military."
The secretary said the message to Afghanistan is "we're not
going to give you all the time in the world. You have to push the
envelope."
"This is not an abandonment of Afghanistan," Mr. Kerry said.
"This is an empowerment of Afghanistan."
Appearing on "CBS This Morning," he said the withdrawal plan of
the U.S. will allow this country to divert resources to the
antiterrorism fight in other parts of the world. Mr. Kerry said
U.S. foreign policy needs to reflect a "rapidly changing, more
complex world where terrorism is the principal challenge."
Mr. Kerry called the Afghanistan troop withdrawal announcement
"a statement of transition" and said that "if you tell the Afghans
we'll be here as long as it takes, you can absolutely bet your
bottom dollar they'll take as long as they want." The secretary
also said "it is exactly what the American people have always
sought in Afghanistan" and said "the Afghans want us to transition
out."
During his interview on ABC's "Good Morning America," Mr. Kerry
was asked for an update on U.S. efforts to win the release of
nearly 300 schoolgirls abducted by Islamic extremists in Nigeria.
"We have people on the ground, and we're working hand-in-hand with
Nigerians," he replied.
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