US President Barack Obama greets US Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham (C) and General Joseph Dunfore, Commander of Isaf and US Forces Afghanistan, after disembarking from Air Force One upon arrival at Bagram Air Field, north of Kabul, in Afghanistan on a surprise trip to visit US troops prior to the Memorial Day holiday. PHOTO: AFP
BAGRAM AIR BASE: US President Barack Obama landed in Afghanistan late Sunday on a surprise visit to salute the sacrifices of US troops in America's longest war.
Obama slipped out of the White House after dark on Saturday and flew in secret across the globe, landing at Bagram air base outside Kabul in late evening.
He planned to meet top US military commanders and civilian leaders in Afghanistan during a short visit, but there were no plans to see Afghan President Hamid Karzai or either of the candidates in Afghanistan's runoff presidential election.
Obama's trip, pulled off under extraordinary security precautions, was purely devoted to spending time with troops as the United States honours its war dead on Memorial Day on Monday.
"He didn't want to get in the middle of election season," Ben Rhodes, a deputy US national security advisor, told reporters travelling with Obama.
The visit also came with Obama under intense political pressure at home amid allegations that possible misconduct and poor administration in the Veterans Affairs Department had left retired warriors waiting months for treatment.
Some are said to have died as a result.
Officials said Obama would not make any announcements on the size of a possible post-war Nato training force for Afghanistan.
But Rhodes said the president was keen to hear from his top commander on the ground, General Joseph Dunford, head of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) and the US Ambassador to Afghanistan James Cunningham.
"It is important for him to come before he articulates a decision," Rhodes said of the trip.
During the short stay, Obama will also tour an operations centre and visit a hospital at Bagram before making a speech to US troops and civilians.
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@Advisor what a speech man i guess u need to lived in colorado because they legalized the holy weed all ready and u need it very badly... and question is if freedom is so loved by afghan then why they visit allways in surprized way that make us laugh hahahah
@Advisor Go watch cartoons. The global chess board is clearly beyond your naive and childish understanding of world affairs. Let me be clear about one fact - US is not going nowhere - they will maintain a strong presence for some time to come in Afghanistan. Not because they love Indians or afghanis - CHINA !
the land of Afghan never be taken into control until unless they wish to accommodate the foreigners. the surprise visit of Obama and others could do nothing , its a shameful movement that the leader of the world power and broker State come throw unknown place
He should be informed about the audacious attack on the Indian embassy yesterday. The CIA I am sure would even tell him who were behind it. For which, Obama's reply: "let's not rock the boat for the country which was responsible till we withdrew completely, once we are done with Afghanistan, and dump the country responsible, they will come running behind us for arms and alms, and just as always, we shall encourage them to resolve all their issues related to Kashmir in a peaceful manner bilateraly in accordance to Shimla agreement, and be more responsible and bring the perpetrators of 26/11 to justice, the more we turn our back on Pakistanis the more they behave like loosers, so for the time being lets just keep quite, India and Afghanistan will deal with them".