Obama rallies troops on first Afghan trip

Air Force One landed in darkness at Bagram airfield north of  the Afghan capital, and Obama was whisked by helicopter to  Karzai’s palace in Kabul, where he was greeted by the Afghan  president and a band playing the U.S. national anthem.

His meeting with Karzai was subdued, reflecting the frosty  relations between his administration and the wartime ally upon  whom Obama’s signature foreign policy rests. Neither man  answered questions from the press.

“I want to send a strong message that the partnership  between the United States and Afghanistan is going to continue.  We have already seen progress with respect to the military  campaign against extremism in the region,” Obama told Karzai in  front of a group of reporters ushered into a room inside the  palace.

“We also want to continue to make progress on … good  governance, rule of law, anti-corruption efforts — all these  things end up resulting in an Afghanistan that is more  prosperous, more secure, independent,” he added.

Karzai said he hoped “the partnership will continue …  towards a stable, strong, peaceful Afghanistan that can sustain  itself, that can move forward into the future.”

U.S. officials said corruption and governance were among the  issues that the president discussed directly with Karzai during  talks that lasted barely half an hour. A perception in the  United States that Karzai is tolerant of corruption has sapped  support for the war back home.

In December, Obama ordered the deployment of an extra 30,000  U.S. troops to Afghanistan and set a mid-2011 target to begin  withdrawal. About a third have so far arrived, participating in  a major offensive in the south of the country last month.

Obama returned to Bagram, appearing in a bomber jacket, and  delivering a speech to troops just before midnight, telling them  he was confident they would have success in their mission.

“I want you to know … whether you are working here on  Bagram or patrolling a village down in Helmand … your services  are absolutely necessary, absolutely essential to America’s  safety and security,” he told the troops.

He met the commander of U.S. and NATO troops, Army General  Stanley McChrystal, and the U.S. ambassador, Karl Eikenberry,  before taking off on Air Force One without seeing daylight.
The Obama administration has had an uneasy relationship with  Karzai throughout Obama’s 14 months in office, reaching a low  point during a three-month Afghan election dispute last year.