President: Rebel defeat has united Sri Lanka

[Coventina]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- Sri Lanka's president declared Wednesday that the country's Tamil insurgents are on the verge of total defeat, saying their demise has helped unite the island nation on the 61st anniversary of its independence.

"We are today a nation that has defeated a powerful enemy that stood before us," Mahinda Rajapaksa said in his independence day speech. "Our entire nation is now united in the shade of the national flag."

But in other parts of his speech, Rajapaksa indicated that the fight against the Tamil Tiger rebels was not over.

"I am confident that in a few days we will decisively defeat the terrorist force that many repeatedly kept saying was invincible," he said.



Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/02/04/sri.lanka.victory/

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I wonder if he had a "Mission Accomplished" banner behind him?

[bemildred]

1. Definitely needs a codpiece. nt