Gates is at the start of a two-day visit with US troops,
louboutin pas cher, allied commanders and Afghan leaders to gauge war progress as the Obama administration moves toward crucial decisions on reducing troop levels.
Gates planned to travel to eastern and southern portions of Afghanistan,
christian louboutin, the areas most fiercely contested by the Taliban insurgency in the past few months.
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Afghan President Hamid Karzai (R) arrive for a joint news conference at the Presidential Palace in Kabul March 7,
chaussure louboutin pas cher, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]
The US is committed to beginning its troop withdrawal in July. But the size and scope of the pullback will depend on the degree of progress toward handing off full control to the somewhat shaky government of Afghanistan.
Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters flying with the Pentagon chief from Washington that Gates wants to get a first-hand feel for changes on the ground since he last was in Afghanistan in December.
2011-03-08 07:11
BAGRAM,
christian louboutin pas cher, Afghanistan - US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Monday that both the US and Afghan governments agree the American military should remain involved in Afghanistan after the planned 2014 end of combat operations to help train and advise Afghan forces.
Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page
Morrell said Gates expects to hear from troops and commanders that the US and NATO strategy is making important progress against the relentless Taliban, who are thought to be gearing up for a spring offensive.
Associated Press
US commanders have been saying for weeks that the Taliban are suffering big losses in territory and personnel, while being denied the funding and infiltration routes they have relied on in the past to ramp up guerrilla operations each spring.
"Obviously it would be a small fraction of the presence that we have today,
franklin & marshall, but I think we're willing to do that,
chaussure louboutin," Gates told a group of US troops at Bagram airfield,
franklin marshall pas cher, which is headquarters for US and NATO forces in eastern Afghanistan. "My sense is they (Afghan officials) are interested in having us do that."
A soldier asked Gates about a long-term military presence,
franklin et marshall, and Gates noted that Washington and Kabul have recently begun negotiating a security partnership. He mentioned no details. He was to meet later in the day with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
相关的主题文章:
$103.36 million
儿呀,娘想做你家的一条狗
500 times more vitamin C by weight than oranges