Obama says U.S. shutdown ‘encouraged enemies’

U.S. President Barack Obama warned on Thursday that the government shutdown had “encouraged” America’s enemies and “depressed” its friends.

“It encouraged our enemies, emboldened our competitors and depressed our friends who look to us for steady leadership,” Obama was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse.

The president, who spoke less than 11 hours after a legislation that ended the 16-day shutdown, said the latest political crisis has left “no winners” in Washington and caused “unnecessary damage” to the U.S. economy.

The legislation has temporary ended a budget impasse that was threatening to put the U.S. economy into a historic default.

Obama also called on politicians to come together to pass a long term budget and to give up the “brinksmanship” that threatens the economy and squandered the trust of the American people, according to AFP.

The president urged Congress and specifically Republicans in the House of Representatives to pass a delayed legislation on agriculture and to reform the immigration system.

“There's been a lot of discussion lately of the politics of this shutdown,” Obama was quoted as saying by AFP at the State Dining Room of the White House.

“Let's be clear. There are no winners here. These last few weeks have inflicted completely unnecessary damage on our economy,” Obama added.

“Probably nothing has done more damage to America's credibility in the world, our standing with other countries, than the spectacle that we've seen these past several weeks.”

(With AFP)