Worthy News: Obama hails US Afghan 'progress'

Friday 3 December 2010

Obama hails US Afghan 'progress'

Barack Obama steps off Air Force One during an unannounced visit to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

Mr Obama stepped off Air Force One late on Friday

US President Barack Obama has made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan.

He was flown into Bagram airfield - home to a key US base - near Kabul.

Mr Obama is expected to speak to American troops and hold talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai about the conflict with Taliban insurgents.

The visit comes a year after Mr Obama ordered the deployment of an extra 30,000 US troops in Afghanistan. He is expected to receive a report on the new strategy later this month.

Mr Obama arrived at Bagram after a secret overnight flight. Plans for a face-to-face meeting with President Karzai were scrapped at the last minute, but the two leaders are expected to hold talks by phone.

Mr Karzai has complained vocally about US military tactics in recent weeks.

A recent Pentagon report found violence had reached an all-time high, with clashes up fourfold since 2007. It said progress had been "uneven", with only modest gains against the insurgents.

Mr Obama's "surge" strategy was designed to break the Taliban's momentum, and lead to a withdrawal of US troops beginning in the middle of next year.

It is the president's second visit to Afghanistan as president - the first was in March.

This article is from the BBC News website. � British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.