"Given our history here, I believe that the United States has a moral obligation to help Laos heal," Obama said, as he addressed an audience of more than 1,000 students, business people and officials. For Obama, the visit serves as a capstone to his yearslong effort to bolster relations with Southeast Asian countries long overlooked by the United States. "The United States is more deeply engaged across the Asia-Pacific than we have been in decades," Obama said. With just four months left in office and eying his legacy, Obama used the moment to reassert his aims. The Lao government said it would increase efforts to recover remains and account for Americans missing since the Vietnam War.

Source: ABC News September 06, 2016 06:17 UTC