Obama makes surprise trip to Afghanistan
By Christi Parsons, Reporting from Washington
December 3, 2010|8:46 a.m.

The president's second trip to the war zone will include a visit to thank U.S. troops. A planned trip to President Hamid Karzai's palace in Kabul is canceled due to bad weather, so Obama will conference with him over a secure video link.

The cloud cover in Kabul is at less than 1,000 feet, with 45 mph winds and less than two miles' visibility. Conditions make helicopter travel "not an option," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told the White House press pool.

Obama exited Air Force One at Bagram in total darkness, in keeping with security protocols. Wearing a dark brown bomber jacket and sweater with no tie, Obama greeted Gen. David Petraeus at the foot of the stairs and then left quickly for the Bagram hospital.

Obama is set to meet with five soldiers and three civilian contractors who are patients at Bagram, and will award four Purple Hearts, according to the pool report from the base to the White House.

The president left Thursday night about 10 p.m. from Andrews Air Force base near Washington. He landed Friday morning around 9:30 a.m. EST.

Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes told pool reporters that the trip planning began a month ago. The main reason for the trip was for Obama to spend time with U.S. troops during the holiday season, to thank them and to wish them happy holidays at a "particularly tough time of the year" for service members.

The president will speak with troops who mainly are from the 101st Airborne Division, a unit which is on its fourth combat deployment and is spending its fourth holiday season away from home. There also will be members of all branches of the service there.

Petraeus will introduce the president to the troops.

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