(3 Jul 2010)
1. Wide of US embassy compound in Kabul
2. Various of guards of honour marching with US flag
3. Wide of commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General David H. Petraeus, walking to the podium
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) General David H. Petraeus, Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan:
"Having just flown in from NATO headquarters together with ambassador (Karl) Eikenberry and the NATO senior civilian representative ambassador (Mark) Sedwill, I am reminded that this is an effort in which we must achieve unity of effort and common purpose."
5. Cutaway of Petraeus on podium
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) General David H. Petraeus, Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan (++followed in part by simultaneous translation++):
"This is a tough mission, there is nothing easy about it. But working together we can achieve progress, and we can achieve our mutual objectives."
7. Cutaway of officials and reporters
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) General David H. Petraeus, Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan:
"As many of us celebrate this 4th July, continents apart from family and loved ones, I want to close by thanking each and one of you for your commitment to seeing this mission through and for the sacrifice that that has entailed."
9. Various of Petraeus greeting Afghan officials
10. Close of name badge on Petraeus' uniform
11. Mid of Petraeus greeting Afghan officials
STORYLINE
General David Petraeus, the new commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, called for unity on Saturday in the civilian and military effort to turn back the Taliban and stabilise the country.
The remarks were Petraeus' first public comments since he arrived on Friday night to assume command of the troubled international military mission in Afghanistan.
His predecessor, General Stanley McChrystal, was fired last month for intemperate remarks by him and his aides about Obama administration figures to Rolling Stone magazine.
"This is a tough mission, there is nothing easy about it. But working together we can achieve progress, and we can achieve our mutual objectives," Petraeus told about 1,700 invited guests, including Afghan government and military and police officials gathered at the US Embassy to mark US Independence Day.
Petraeus added that the campaign to strengthen the Afghan government in the face of the insurgent threat "is an effort in which we must achieve unity of effort."
Underscoring the message of unity, US Ambassador Karl Eikenberry appeared with Petraeus, handing the general an access pass to the heavily guarded embassy and calling him a "great friend."
Eikenberry told the crowd that the US commitment to Afghanistan would not wane, despite sagging US public support for the conflict and US President Barack Obama's July 2011 deadline to begin withdrawing US troops.
McChrystal was fired after telling Rolling Stone that he felt "betrayed" by Eikenberry's opposition last year to the general's request for a substantial increase in US troops in Afghanistan because the ambassador had doubts about the reliability of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Eikenberry's opposition to the troop increase, which Obama approved, was contained in diplomatic cables leaked in Washington, a move McChrystal suspected was aimed at protecting the ambassador if the war effort failed.
But Saturday's message was of unity.
Petraeus, widely credited with turning around the US war effort in Iraq, is due to formally assume command at a ceremony on Sunday.
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