Bush makes surprise Afghan visit

Bush makes surprise Afghan visit

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- U.S. President George W. Bush made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday, his first to the country where U.S. forces ousted the Taliban following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Bush met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a five-hour unannounced stopover en route to India and Pakistan.

A group of low-flying helicopters carried Bush and his entourage from Bagram Air Base, the main center for U.S. troops where Air Force One landed, to the capital Kabul, where he was received by Karzai.

After meeting with Karzai at the presidential palace, Bush told a news conference he remained confident al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden "will be brought to justice" despite a so-far futile five-year hunt.

"People all over the world are watching the experience here in Afghanistan," Bush said as he stood side-by-side with Karzai outside the palace.

"It's a thrill to come to a country which is dedicating itself to the dignity of every person who lives here," Bush said.

Karzai hailed Bush as "our great friend, our great supporter, a man who helped us liberate."

Asked about the search for bin Laden, the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, and of the president's call for getting him "dead or alive," Bush said the search for bin Laden and his associates continued.

"It's not a matter of if they're captured and brought to justice, it's when they're brought to justice," Bush said.

Bush is expected to preside over a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the U.S. Embassy and give a pep talk to troops at Bagram before continuing on his announced trip to India and Pakistan.

"This is an opportunity to show our support for a good friend and ally and emerging democracy," White House press secretary Scott McClellan said of the Afghan stop.

"We stand firmly with the people of Afghanistan as they are charting their own future."

The Afghan detour was not announced officially until Air Force One landed at Bagram.

"There are security precautions that were taken and we are confident in the security precautions that have been taken. One of those was not informing you of the trip until now," McClellan told reporters.

This is Bush's first trip to Afghanistan, where a October 2001 U.S. invasion eventually toppled the Taliban regime that had harbored bin Laden and allowed terrorist training camps on its soil.

It was Bush's second visit to a war front. His first was a secret trip to have Thanksgiving dinner in 2003 with U.S. troops in Iraq.

On Tuesday, the director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said that while Afghanistan had successful national and provincial elections in 2005, the Taliban "remains capable and resilient."

"In 2005, the Taliban and other anti-coalition movement groups increased attacks by 20 percent," Lt. Gen. Michael Maples told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"We judge that the insurgency appears emboldened by perceived tactical successes and will be active this spring."

CNN.com