CNN
03/10/2010
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Kabul - America's defense chief thanked Afghanistan's soldiers for their service during a tour of a training camp Wednesday as Iran's hardline president arrived in Kabul with a pledge to purge "occupying forces" from the troubled land.

"Iran has innovative plans for resolving ongoing problems in Afghanistan and the withdrawal of the occupying forces from the country," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said ahead of landing in Afghanistan, Iran's state-run Press TV reported.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates toured Camp Blackhorse in eastern Afghanistan and reassured Afghan soldiers training there that U.S. friendship with their country will be steadfast.

Gates arrived in Afghanistan on Monday morning on an unannounced visit as NATO-led coalition forces are pressing an offensive against Taliban forces around the town of Marjah in southern Helmand province.

Dubbed Operation Moshtarak, the offensive was launched in February by an international coalition of 15,000 troops, including Afghans, Americans, Britons, Canadians, Danes and Estonians.

Gates was scheduled to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan.

Of Ahmadinejad's visit, Gates told reporters on the flight to Afghanistan: "Iran is playing a double game in Afghanistan. They want to maintain a good relationship with the Afghan government. They also want to do everything they possibly can to hurt us, or for us not to be successful."

Gates said the Tehran government "will help the Taliban, whether they are providing money" or "some low level of support."

Driven Away by a War, Now Stalked by Winter’s Cold The New York Times (02/04/2012)

Civilians among 49 killed in Helmand Pajhwok (02/03/2012)

U.S.-Held Taliban as Bargaining Chips Draw Republican Criticism Bloomberg (02/03/2012)

Adios Afghanistan Fox News (02/03/2012)

Snowfall, rains to end drought, hope growers Pajhwok (02/03/2012)

No winners in Afghanistan’s war The Financial Times (02/03/2012)

Plan for early end to US combat role catches Afghan officials by surprise The Christian Science Monitor (02/03/2012)

Premature Evacuation? Foreign Policy (02/03/2012)

Panetta comment prompts questions, concerns in Afghanistan The Washington Post, Editorial (02/03/2012)

The administration’s muddled message on Afghanistan The Washington Post, Editorial (02/03/2012)

Panetta Draws Fire Over Afghan Shift The Wall Street Journal (02/03/2012)

NATO members rattled by U.S. combat plan on Afghanistan The Los Angeles Times (02/03/2012)

The Taliban who may leave Gitmo CNN (02/03/2012)

Afghanistan fears early US pull-out The Financial Times (02/03/2012)

'This terrible war could have ended in a month’ Telegraph (02/03/2012)

U.S. tries to ease confusion over Afghan plans Reuters (02/03/2012)

'Substantial’ British troop pull-out from Afghanistan planned for early 2013 Telegraph (02/03/2012)

In winding down war, a fundamentally different challenge in Afghanistan than in Iraq The Washington Post (02/03/2012)

To the Afghan Exits The Wall Street Journal (02/03/2012)

Romney Criticizes Afghan Pullout Plan, but Obama Is Eager for the Debate The New York Times (02/03/2012)

50pc of US aid to be used in 2 years: Zakhilwal Pajhwok (02/03/2012)

Is Israel preparing to attack Iran? Reuters (02/02/2012)

Plan to scale back U.S. Afghan role worries, surprises Reuters (02/02/2012)

U.S., NATO seek to clarify Panetta comments on ending Afghan mission The Washington Post (02/02/2012)

Courting Disaster In Afghanistan The Weekly Standard (02/02/2012)

The Hard Way Out of Afghanistan The New York Times (02/02/2012)

"Peace with Honour" is Another Way of Saying Defeat The Huffington Post (02/02/2012)

The Empire’s graveyard Khaleej Times (02/02/2012)

Sacrifices in vain on the Afghanistan war path ABC (02/02/2012)

Reading the Taliban The Economist (02/02/2012)