Kabul 'much safer than it was,' Obama insists

US President Barack Obama insisted Wednesday that Kabul is "much safer than it was" but said he expected attacks like the one on the Intercontinental Hotel to continue for "some time." In his first public comments on the Intercontinental attack, Obama insisted that the Afghan forces who are responsible for security in Kabul are doing "a reasonably good job" and their capacity is increasing.
"Keep in mind, the drawdown has not begun, so we understand that Afghanistan is a dangerous place, and the Taliban is still active and there will be events like this on occasion," he said. "Kabul is much safer than it was, and Afghan forces in Kabul are much more capable than they were," he told a White House press conference.
"That does not mean there will not be events like this taking place. That will go on for some time. Our work is not done." Military leaders, including the commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, had wanted to keep more forces in place through next summer's fighting season to cement progress in the south and renew efforts in the east.