U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Afghanistan under the cover of darkness Friday, for an unannounced visit during which he plans to meet officials and address his troops.
Obama is now at Bagram Air Field north of Kabul, where he is expected to hold talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The two had planned to meet face-to-face for a working dinner, but rough weather scrapped Obama's plan to fly from the U.S. base to Karzai's presidential palace.
The two were then to meet via secure videoconference instead, but that plan was ultimately scrapped in favour of a telephone call.
White House officials said the fact the two presidents won't meet in person is of little consequence, especially considering they met during the NATO summit in Lisbon, Portugal last month.
During his whirlwind three-hour stay, Obama is also expected to hold a briefing with U.S. advisers and deliver a rallying speech to his troops before returning to Washington.
Speaking to reporters on the flight to Afghanistan, U.S. National Security aide Ben Rhodes said the visit has been in the works for more than a month.
"It's always tough to serve in harm's way but when you're away from loved ones in the holiday season it's particularly hard, and the president wanted the ability to come out and have some time with them," Rhodes said.
Since his election, Obama has had a frosty relatively frosty relationship with Karzai, compared to the one under the previous administration of George W. Bush.
Relations have been further strained in recent days, with the WikiLeaks release of classified documents revealing the private, often unflattering opinions U.S. state department officials have of the Afghan leader and his government.
Besides that political backdrop, Obama's clandestine jaunt comes amidst growing domestic and international pressure to end the unpopular war. It also comes just days before the White House National Security Council is due to submit to Congress its review of the U.S. military strategy there.
Besides measuring progress in Afghanistan, the review is also expected to evaluate the state of negotiations with the Taliban, as well as the success of efforts to eliminate terrorist safe havens across the Pakistan border.
Although it is not expected to contain recommendations for alternate policies, U.S. officials have said it might shape how resources are deployed in the region.
This trip is the commander-in-chief's second to the war-torn nation. When Obama last travelled to Kabul in March, he pledged that the partnership between Afghanistan and America would continue.
Just 2 months earlier, Obama ordered the deployment of an extra 30,000 troops there. He also said they would begin the long process of withdrawal by mid-2011.
But, following the NATO summit in Lisbon last month, Obama said the U.S. would follow their plan to withdraw combat troops by 2014.
U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Afghanistan under the cover of darkness Friday, for an unannounced visit during which he plans to meet officials and address his troops.
Obama is now at Bagram Air Field north of Kabul, where he is expected to hold talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The two had planned to meet face-to-face for a working dinner, but rough weather scrapped Obama's plan to fly from the U.S. base to Karzai's presidential palace.
The two were then to meet via secure videoconference instead, but that plan was ultimately scrapped in favour of a telephone call.
White House officials said the fact the two presidents won't meet in person is of little consequence, especially considering they met during the NATO summit in Lisbon, Portugal last month.
During his whirlwind three-hour stay, Obama is also expected to hold a briefing with U.S. advisers and deliver a rallying speech to his troops before returning to Washington.
Speaking to reporters on the flight to Afghanistan, U.S. National Security aide Ben Rhodes said the visit has been in the works for more than a month.
"It's always tough to serve in harm's way but when you're away from loved ones in the holiday season it's particularly hard, and the president wanted the ability to come out and have some time with them," Rhodes said.
Since his election, Obama has had a frosty relatively frosty relationship with Karzai, compared to the one under the previous administration of George W. Bush.
Relations have been further strained in recent days, with the WikiLeaks release of classified documents revealing the private, often unflattering opinions U.S. state department officials have of the Afghan leader and his government.
Besides that political backdrop, Obama's clandestine jaunt comes amidst growing domestic and international pressure to end the unpopular war. It also comes just days before the White House National Security Council is due to submit to Congress its review of the U.S. military strategy there.
Besides measuring progress in Afghanistan, the review is also expected to evaluate the state of negotiations with the Taliban, as well as the success of efforts to eliminate terrorist safe havens across the Pakistan border.
Although it is not expected to contain recommendations for alternate policies, U.S. officials have said it might shape how resources are deployed in the region.
This trip is the commander-in-chief's second to the war-torn nation. When Obama last travelled to Kabul in March, he pledged that the partnership between Afghanistan and America would continue.
Just 2 months earlier, Obama ordered the deployment of an extra 30,000 troops there. He also said they would begin the long process of withdrawal by mid-2011.
But, following the NATO summit in Lisbon last month, Obama said the U.S. would follow their plan to withdraw combat troops by 2014.

