Laura Bush on Afghanistan visit

First Lady Laura Bush departed yesterday on a lightning quick visit to Afghanistan to greet US troops and offer support for Afghan women.

President George W. Bush's wife will stop at Bagram Air Base north of Kabul to speak to US troops and tour a teacher training institute in the capital that teaches women how to educate young girls.

"I've found American women really stand in solidarity with the women in Afghanistan. I'm glad to bring that message to Afghanistan," Ms Bush told reporters shortly before takeoff.

Security was expected to be tight for the visit, in which Ms Bush plans to stay on the ground in Afghanistan about five hours. She will return to Washington early tomorrow.

"Ms Bush has long been looking forward to visiting Afghanistan. This visit will be an opportunity to highlight the advances made for women in the country and to underscore our long-term commitment to the people of Afghanistan," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.

Ms Bush will meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai as part of a session with the US-Afghan Women's Council delegation, which is currently visiting Afghanistan.

She said the message she was taking to her meeting with Mr Karzai was "Americans stand with the people of Afghanistan and how moved we are by their efforts."

She will have dinner with the US troops at the air base, which is a key facility for the forces still battling elements of the Taliban and searching for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

"This has been in the planning for quite some time, we were very secretive about it," Ms Bush said.

Yesterday, a roadside bomb wounded at least 10 Afghan National Army soldiers in the eastern province of Kunar and the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Another blast on Monday injured four civilians in Kabul. Ms Bush will tour the institute in Kabul that trains women to go into rural villages and educate young girls denied that opportunity in the past, said Ms Bush's spokesman, Susan Whitson.

The first lady will speak to a number of students and teachers at the institute, which just graduated its first class.

She will announce a $17.7 million grant for the American University of Afghanistan and a $3.5 million for an elementary school, the International School of Afghanistan.

Travelling with her was US Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, who visited Afghanistan a year ago. She said she was anxious to see the progress women have made.