video transcript

(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION) U.S. commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, General John Allen attended a celebration on Wednesday (July 4) to mark U.S. Independence Day. Alongside multinational troops serving in Afghanistan, Allen saluted the ceremony and celebrated with a piece of cake designed as an American flag. "We are here today to celebrate the triumph of an idea that freedom will prevail in the face of adversity. We celebrate the birth of a nation, a democracy that has served as the symbol of freedom and an inspiration for those seeking to overcome oppression," he told troops gathered at NATO headquarters in Kabul.