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Of course that may be because Dubya was in Afghanistan for the FIRST FUCKING TIME SINCE 9/11, and bin Laden pretty much runs the place...
March 1, 2006, 2:43PM
Bush makes surprise first visit to Afghanistan
By JULIE MASON
NEW DELHI, India -- President Bush today made his first-ever stop in Afghanistan, greeting troops at Bagram Air Base and lunching with the Afghan president in a surprise stop on his way to India.
"It's important for the people of Afghanistan to recognize that we're here by mutual consent. We want to be here,'' Bush said. "We want to be here to help Afghanistan grow its democracy, and to defeat those who can't stand the thought of freedom.''
White House officials said the secret stop had been in the works for several weeks, but kept quiet because of security concerns. Bush stayed on the ground for a few hours, and cut the ribbon on a new U.S. embassy in Kabul.
Although the president talked up progress in restoring social order in the country, Afghanistan remains desperately poor and troubled by a stubborn Taliban insurgency that appears to be gaining momentum.
It was more than four years ago that the United States invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban. Still at large is al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, architect of the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
Bush, who famously called for the capture of bin Laden "dead or alive," said he is undaunted by the failure to capture the elusive Saudi.
"I am confident he will be brought to justice,'' Bush said. "What's happening is, is that we got U.S. forces on the hunt for not only bin Laden, but anybody who plots and plans with bin Laden. There are Afghan forces on the hunt for not only bin Laden, but those who plot and plan with him.''
Bush had lunch in Afghanistan with President Hamid Karzai, the American-backed leader viewed with some skepticism by critics who believe he is too beholden to the United States.
But to rebuild his country, Karzai has to maintain good relations with Bush. The U.S currently has about 18,000 troops in Afghanistan, in addition to about 9,000 NATO peacekeepers.
"We owe a great, great deal in this country's rebuilding -- peace, democracy, the strong steps toward the future -- to your support, to your leadership, to the American people, and to the way you have given your hand to the Afghan people,'' Karzai told Bush during a brief joint news conference.
March 1, 2006, 2:43PM
Bush makes surprise first visit to Afghanistan
By JULIE MASON
NEW DELHI, India -- President Bush today made his first-ever stop in Afghanistan, greeting troops at Bagram Air Base and lunching with the Afghan president in a surprise stop on his way to India.
"It's important for the people of Afghanistan to recognize that we're here by mutual consent. We want to be here,'' Bush said. "We want to be here to help Afghanistan grow its democracy, and to defeat those who can't stand the thought of freedom.''
White House officials said the secret stop had been in the works for several weeks, but kept quiet because of security concerns. Bush stayed on the ground for a few hours, and cut the ribbon on a new U.S. embassy in Kabul.
Although the president talked up progress in restoring social order in the country, Afghanistan remains desperately poor and troubled by a stubborn Taliban insurgency that appears to be gaining momentum.
It was more than four years ago that the United States invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban. Still at large is al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, architect of the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
Bush, who famously called for the capture of bin Laden "dead or alive," said he is undaunted by the failure to capture the elusive Saudi.
"I am confident he will be brought to justice,'' Bush said. "What's happening is, is that we got U.S. forces on the hunt for not only bin Laden, but anybody who plots and plans with bin Laden. There are Afghan forces on the hunt for not only bin Laden, but those who plot and plan with him.''
Bush had lunch in Afghanistan with President Hamid Karzai, the American-backed leader viewed with some skepticism by critics who believe he is too beholden to the United States.
But to rebuild his country, Karzai has to maintain good relations with Bush. The U.S currently has about 18,000 troops in Afghanistan, in addition to about 9,000 NATO peacekeepers.
"We owe a great, great deal in this country's rebuilding -- peace, democracy, the strong steps toward the future -- to your support, to your leadership, to the American people, and to the way you have given your hand to the Afghan people,'' Karzai told Bush during a brief joint news conference.
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