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| Obama Makes Surprise Visit to U.S. Troops in Afghanistan | Obama Makes Surprise Visit to U.S. Troops in Afghanistan |
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| WASHINGTON — President Obama made a surprise trip to Afghanistan on Sunday to visit American troops there, landing at Bagram Airfield outside the capital, Kabul, for the first time since a visit in 2012 when he signed a strategic partnership agreement with the government there to bring the war to an end. | WASHINGTON — President Obama made a surprise trip to Afghanistan on Sunday to visit American troops there, landing at Bagram Airfield outside the capital, Kabul, for the first time since a visit in 2012 when he signed a strategic partnership agreement with the government there to bring the war to an end. |
| The trip was unannounced, and Mr. Obama slipped out of the White House secretly on Saturday evening in advance of what White House officials said would be a Memorial Day rally with the troops. Officials said the president is also expected to get an on-site briefing from his military commanders and visit wounded service members. | The trip was unannounced, and Mr. Obama slipped out of the White House secretly on Saturday evening in advance of what White House officials said would be a Memorial Day rally with the troops. Officials said the president is also expected to get an on-site briefing from his military commanders and visit wounded service members. |
| Officials said that Mr. Obama would rally with some of the 32,000 service members who are currently in Afghanistan, many of whom are due to return home at year’s end when the 13-year war is officially brought to an end. | |
| Brad Paisley, a country music singer, traveled on Air Force One with Mr. Obama to Afghanistan and will perform at the rally on Monday. The president is expected to use the appearance there to offer thanks to the members of the military, but is not expected to make any major policy announcements. | Brad Paisley, a country music singer, traveled on Air Force One with Mr. Obama to Afghanistan and will perform at the rally on Monday. The president is expected to use the appearance there to offer thanks to the members of the military, but is not expected to make any major policy announcements. |
| Instead, Mr. Obama is expected to wait until he returns to the United States to offer his latest foreign policy and national security vision, during a speech that he is scheduled to give at the West Point graduation on Wednesday. | Instead, Mr. Obama is expected to wait until he returns to the United States to offer his latest foreign policy and national security vision, during a speech that he is scheduled to give at the West Point graduation on Wednesday. |
| In 2009, Mr. Obama used a similar setting at West Point to announce a decision to add more troops to the effort in Afghanistan, pushing the total United States presence there past 100,000, while at the same time saying he intended to draw down the effort there over several years. | In 2009, Mr. Obama used a similar setting at West Point to announce a decision to add more troops to the effort in Afghanistan, pushing the total United States presence there past 100,000, while at the same time saying he intended to draw down the effort there over several years. |
| Mr. Obama has said that all United States combat troops will have left Afghanistan by the end of this year. But American officials had hoped to leave a small contingent of forces beyond that time for training purposes and to conduct anti terrorism operations. | Mr. Obama has said that all United States combat troops will have left Afghanistan by the end of this year. But American officials had hoped to leave a small contingent of forces beyond that time for training purposes and to conduct anti terrorism operations. |
| President Hamid Karzi of Afghanistan, who is leaving office this year, had negotiated an agreement to allow for such a force to remain, but later refused to sign it. Both candidates in a runoff election to replace Mr. Karzai have indicated that they would likely sign the agreement. | President Hamid Karzi of Afghanistan, who is leaving office this year, had negotiated an agreement to allow for such a force to remain, but later refused to sign it. Both candidates in a runoff election to replace Mr. Karzai have indicated that they would likely sign the agreement. |
| The visit to Afghanistan comes as Mr. Obama draws the second of two wars to a close, making good on a promise that he made as a candidate to pull the United States out of such conflicts. | The visit to Afghanistan comes as Mr. Obama draws the second of two wars to a close, making good on a promise that he made as a candidate to pull the United States out of such conflicts. |
| But Mr. Obama has also struggled to define the parameters of his foreign policy as he has been confronted with other conflicts in Iran, Syria, Libya and the ongoing tension with Russia in Ukraine. Ben Rhodes, the president’s deputy national security adviser, told reporters that Mr. Obama is likely to speak to that issue when he returns from Afghanistan. | But Mr. Obama has also struggled to define the parameters of his foreign policy as he has been confronted with other conflicts in Iran, Syria, Libya and the ongoing tension with Russia in Ukraine. Ben Rhodes, the president’s deputy national security adviser, told reporters that Mr. Obama is likely to speak to that issue when he returns from Afghanistan. |
| “We are at a bit of a turning point in our foreign policy generally,” Mr. Rhodes told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One. “Our foreign policy is going to be a lot different than it has been over the past decade, and the president will speak to what that transition will mean.” | “We are at a bit of a turning point in our foreign policy generally,” Mr. Rhodes told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One. “Our foreign policy is going to be a lot different than it has been over the past decade, and the president will speak to what that transition will mean.” |
| Officials said that Mr. Obama is expected to be on the ground in Afghanistan for only a few hours, after a 13-hour flight through the night on Saturday. They said the president has no plans to travel to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, or to meet with Mr. Karzai. | Officials said that Mr. Obama is expected to be on the ground in Afghanistan for only a few hours, after a 13-hour flight through the night on Saturday. They said the president has no plans to travel to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, or to meet with Mr. Karzai. |
| Mr. Rhodes said that Mr. Obama did not want to get involved in Afghan politics or the runoff elections in Afghanistan to replace Mr. Karzai between Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani. | Mr. Rhodes said that Mr. Obama did not want to get involved in Afghan politics or the runoff elections in Afghanistan to replace Mr. Karzai between Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani. |
| “We have been looking for some period of time to come to Afghanistan. After the first round of the election, we thought it would be a good time to come for a troop focused visit,” Mr. Rhodes said, adding that the decision not to meet with the candidates or Mr. Karzai was made because “we didn’t want to get in the middle of election season.” | “We have been looking for some period of time to come to Afghanistan. After the first round of the election, we thought it would be a good time to come for a troop focused visit,” Mr. Rhodes said, adding that the decision not to meet with the candidates or Mr. Karzai was made because “we didn’t want to get in the middle of election season.” |
| Sunday’s visit marks the fourth time that Mr. Obama has traveled to Afghanistan as president and comes as he and his national security team weigh how to proceed with a post-war presence in the country. | Sunday’s visit marks the fourth time that Mr. Obama has traveled to Afghanistan as president and comes as he and his national security team weigh how to proceed with a post-war presence in the country. |
| Mr. Rhodes said that officials are still weighing what that commitment might look like, and said that no decisions had been made. He said that Mr. Obama believed that the surprise visit to Afghanistan was an important part of hearing directly from his commanders about the future of the mission. | Mr. Rhodes said that officials are still weighing what that commitment might look like, and said that no decisions had been made. He said that Mr. Obama believed that the surprise visit to Afghanistan was an important part of hearing directly from his commanders about the future of the mission. |
| “We also of course are making some decisions about the future of our commitment to Afghanistan,” Mr. Rhodes said. “It is important for him to come before he articulates a decision.” | “We also of course are making some decisions about the future of our commitment to Afghanistan,” Mr. Rhodes said. “It is important for him to come before he articulates a decision.” |