Obama on surprise trip to Afghanistan

US President Barack Obama yesterday paid a surprise lightning visit to Afghanistan to huddle with leaders and troops as his administration takes a hard look at whether its war strategy is working.

Mr Obama left the White House quietly and flew to Kabul under cover of darkness. It was the second such visit since Mr Obama became President, with his aides announcing nothing of his trip due to security concerns.

Mr Obama, who has tripled US troop numbers in Afghanistan, was set to spend a mere three hours in the country at Bagram Air Base, the headquarters of the 101st Airborne Division. He was met by General David Petraeus, commander of US troops in Afghanistan, and US ambassador Karl Eikenberry, and went straight to a base hospital to meet with wounded soldiers.

Due to inclement weather including winds of more than 70 kilometres an hour, officials said Obama curtailed an original trip planned for up to six hours and will not take the short helicopter ride into Kabul.

Instead, Mr Obama will speak by telephone with President Hamid Karzai, after a video conference was cancelled, officials said. At the air base, Obama will meet with “wounded warriors” and other US troops spending the holiday season in Afghanistan, an official said.