The two sides also ought to agree on the dangers posed by al-Qaeda and its affiliates.

ECONOMIST: Pakistan and America

As long as Mr Musharraf stays tough on those already trying to kill him al-Qaeda and its affiliates have twice tried to blow him up he can count on America's support.

ECONOMIST: Musharraf may keep his uniform

"It's pretty compelling evidence, but not the only evidence that has been growing that al-Qaeda and its affiliates are becoming more and more involved in the global drug trade to help fund their operations, " says Michael Braun, former chief of operations at the DEA and a founder of Spectre Group International.

FORBES: Terrorism

And as they do, they will be guided by our respect for Afghan sovereignty, and by our two long-term tasks, which will be very specific and very narrow -- first, training and assisting Afghan forces and, second, targeting counterterrorism missions -- targeted counterterrorism missions against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama and President Karzai Hold a Press Conference | The White House

There is no question that after more than a decade of war, we are entering a new phase, we are entering a new time in our effort to combat al Qaeda and its affiliates and like-minded extremists who threaten the United States, threaten our allies.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

The death of al-Awlaki marks another significant milestone in the broader effort to defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Welcomes New Joint Chief of Staff Chairman

But no speech has made such an expansive examination of the war against al Qaeda and its allies in all its manifestations, from drone strikes to detention policies to a clear-eyed assessment of the scope of the threats posed by al Qaeda and its affiliates, as well as by those "homegrown" extremists who attacked the Boston Marathon in April.

CNN: Bush's war on terror is over