WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday night touted the end of Iraq War and killing of al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden at the very start of his State of the Union address.
The U.S. president said "For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country."
Obama opened his remarks with a salute to U.S. troops. He also said most of al Qaeda's top lieutenants have been defeated, and the Taliban's momentum has been broken.
As the tide of war recedes, the last U.S. troops pulled out of Iraq last year, and Obama also put in place a strategy that will see the transition of security responsibility to Afghanistan.
"Some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home," said Obama.
At the same time, the military is also faced with dire budget restraints. The president said he has proposed a new defense strategy that would save "nearly half a trillion dollars in our budget."
Obama pledged to take care of the returning military personnel, promising them "the care and benefits they have earned."
He also said the administration is providing new tax credits to companies that hire veterans.
He proposed a Veterans Job Corps that will help communities hire veterans as cops and firefighters.
