Uniting around our nation’s goal in Afghanistan (Sen. Mitch McConnell)

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Wednesday regarding Afghanistan and the decision by President Obama who, as commander in chief, has accepted the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal as commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan and announced his intention to nominate Gen. David Petraeus to replace him:

In his remarks, the President restated our nation’s goal in Afghanistan and Pakistan: to break the Taliban’s momentum and to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda. Our nation is at war and all Americans should unite around this goal and provide our men and women in uniform the tools necessary to carry out this difficult mission.

We are once again fortunate to be able to call upon the selfless service of General David Petraeus to answer the call of duty. His experience in carrying out at a counterinsurgency campaign in Iraq, when many questioned whether or not such a strategy could succeed, should provide a tremendous resource as he leads our forces in Afghanistan. Having known General Petraeus since his days serving at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, I have the utmost confidence in his leadership and I expect the Senate to quickly approve his nomination. General Stanley McChrystal has spent all of his adult life in service to our nation, carrying out some of the most important and perilous tasks that we ask of our warriors. Our country is indebted to General McChrystal and his family.

Al Qaeda was at war with the United States long before the attacks of September 11, 2001, and the threat from radical terrorists confronts America every day. We must remain committed to defeating this threat, and supportive of the men and women who give their lives in pursuit of this task.