Obama Pays Surprise Visit In Afghanistan

US President Barack Obama, on Sunday, paid an unannounced visit to the US troops in the Bagram Airfield outside Kabul, Afghanistan. Obama’s fourth trip to Afghanistan was on the eve of Memorial Day, which is held to commemorate soldiers who lost their lives while serving the nation.

The US President aboard Air Force One on Saturday night flew for more than 13 hours for the brief visit to the Bagram Air Base, which is the main US base in Afghanistan. He was cheered by the soldiers who gathered around him. Obama spoke to the troops and visited the wounded soldiers in a hospital. He also brought country music star Brad Paisley with him to provide entertainment to the troops.

According to BBC, Obama said that America’s longest war would come to “a responsible end” at the end of 2014. He told the troops who were preparing to withdraw from Afghanistan after 13 long years of war that the US intended to preserve the gains that the troops had helped win.

Obama’s visit comes amidst criticisms in the US for the treatment of wounded veterans from the conflict and the withdrawal of the foreign combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year. White House reporters and photographers accompanied the president under the strict condition that they not report on the trip until authorized, due to security considerations.

interactive editor