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Subscribe to RSSKABUL - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta arrived in Kabul on Tuesday for an unannounced visit at a time of persistent violence and as the United States and its Western allies are reducing troop levels in Afghanistan.
NBC News reported he touched down in Kabul at 4:44 p.m. local time (7:14 a.m. ET) in what is his second trip to Afghanistan as the Pentagon chief.
He was greeted off the plane by the commander of NATO ISAF forces, General John Allen, Ambassador Crocker, and the commander of ISAF Joint Command General Scaparotti.
Panetta's visit comes on the heels of bomb attacks on Shiite Muslim ceremonies in three Afghan cities. Afghan President Hamid Karzai said the attacks killed 80 people.
NATO commanders say that a "surge" of more than 30,000 U.S. troops in 2009-2010 helped push the Taliban out of some areas of its southern heartland.
But the United Nations and other groups say violence nationwide is at its worst since U.S.-backed Afghan forces toppled the Taliban from power in late 2001.
Afghanistan's future remains unclear as the government and its Western allies race to train and expand the national police and army while foreign troops start heading home.
The Obama administration plans to withdraw its surge troops by the end of next fall, leaving about 68,000 American soldiers.
Most foreign combat troops are expected to leave by the end of 2014, when the Afghan government is due to have complete control of security across the country.
The gradual transition to Afghan control began this summer, and a second phase announced late last month will mean more than half the population is living in areas where security has been handed over officially.
NBC News said issues likely to be discussed during his visit included supply routes being cut off from Pakistan. The U.S. is still sending supplies through the air from the north and south, but the Pakistanis have cut off the ground lines.
NBC News and Reuters contributed to this report.
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The problem in Afghanistan was not our troops performance, it was that the people(regular citizens) never hopped on board enough to help us. Without their support all the firepower in the world will not help.
If they knew the benefits of rule of law they would fight against the Taliban much harder.
Agreed Coral, and many of the fighters are using the citizens as shields. Our military goes into villages looking for Al Quada forces, and finds them hiding out in private homes. These people have no choice. If they alert the Americans or support us in any way, their lives aren't worth a dime. And we wonder why innocent women and children die in some of the fighting.
@ Janine; Yes there is the fear factor of working, or helping the Americans. Catch 22.
It is time we stop war strategy.
It is time to help contries with economic at a basisc level like water resource managment, agriculture, roads,
transportation, mining and stop using guns and drones. Let people and let them feel that we are their friends and rest will take care of itself.
Violence is conterproductive. We can kill but cannot win. That is like Nazi strategy. We are creating trust deficit all over the Islamic world with people on the street. Bing friends with dictators who oppress their people cannot be a winning ways in the long run.
The great power needs magaminity and character values that can be admired and make people comfortable. Guns are fine for killing but to win heart and mind it cannot do. There is a contempt for large power everywhere. Either it is Afghan villagers or Pakistani Talibans or Iraqi housewife or our home grown occupy movemennt or for that matter Tea party. There is a geelings among ordianry people that life is too complex and rule of the game are stacked against them and favors rich and those in power at their cost.
These does not change form one community to other around the world. TEchnology has made average person impotent and they can feel it. There will be consequences and violence may spread to western coutnries by those who are dispossessed.
Unfortunately thinkers and religious leaders or the do gooders none has a strategic understanidng of the situaio much less solutions.
We are entering in a dangerous period.
@ raj;
Umm the red cross, countless missionaries,and other orginizations that do just what you are talking about.
America helps the world more than any other country. We are the most giving country in he world, you will not name one that gives more. We even feed our enemies in NK. So thanks for telling us to be kind, but we are already the kindest.
Also do not tell us not to defend ourselves, and everything will take care of itself, if we are kind.lol Sir you are delusional. We are the infidel,no matter how nice we are, never think otherwise, or you will be decieved.
Our "guns" keep the evil in check, that wishes our demise.
u sound like George Bush ! he would'hv said the same thing
@fair man; You mean the truth.
You seem to forget that Bush & the UK turned the Afghanistan "Nation Building" over to the UN and 54 other countries during Dec 2001...
During 2001 according to the UN, the Taliban had almost eradicated the growing of poppies in Afghanistan. It is due to the conflict that the growth of illegal drugs have again taken over the country...
Contrary to the MEDIA's spin the Taliban leadership had started to stabilise the country after the decades of USSR & US intervention in their country...
It was the CIA trained & armed - Usama ben Laden with his Al Qaida that were responsible for the 9-11 attack... NOT the Taliban...
The Taliban has ALWAYs fought to rid their country of the occupying foreign troops...
It was Obama that doubled the US Troop strength and then doubled them AGAIN, placing his own Generals in charge. When the CIA was stating that there were less than 100+Al Qaida in Afghanistan. This is why the USA is still in Afghanistan...