Obama admits to feeling 'small' alongside Marines

President Barack Obama told USA military service-members on Christmas that "we never take for granted" the risks they take to keep Americans safe, and that the killing of six troops in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber this week reminded the nation that the dangers were real.

Prime Minister John Key is spending his Christmas holidays in Hawaii where US President Barack Obama is also taking a break. The White House says the president was joined by friends Greg Orme, Darrell Harrington and Bobby Titcomb?. You help keep us free.

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"There's still folks over there every single day and it's still unsafe as we saw this past week", Obama said of the December 21 attack in Afghanistan. He did, however, voice a complaint about sharing the gym with Marines which drew laughter from the crowd.

"This is one of our favorite things to do every single year, because not only are we in Hawaii for Christmas, but we're also able to say thank you on behalf of the American people", the President said. "I'm going to work harder so I can keep up with you next year, all right?"

Obama, his wife and daughters began the day opening gifts and singing carols, according to a statement released by the White House.

The six service members, including a New York City police detective who served in the U.S. National Guard, were killed Monday at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, the largest U.S. facility in the country, when a suicide attacker rammed an explosives-laden motorcycle into a joint NATO-Afghan patrol. And each year, he has visited with the service members at "K Bay" for Christmas. The Taliban claimed responsibility.

JONATHAN ERNST/REUTERS Obama joked that he "feels small" when working out next to Marines while on vacation in Hawaii.