Afghan President Hamid Karzai's Visit

By Nick Simeone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2013 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta will meet separately this week with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Pentagon Press Secretary George E. Little told reporters today, adding that the war in Afghanistan and the conflict in Syria remain key issues on Panetta’s agenda as he enters what are expected to be his final weeks in office.

Karzai will be given full military honors when he visits the Pentagon Jan. 10 for what Little said will be discussions on a broad range of issues concerning Afghanistan’s future.

In particular, Little said, the visit will be “an opportunity to discuss the ongoing transition to the Afghan security lead and our enduring commitment to Afghanistan following the completion of transition at the end of 2014,” when the U.S-led NATO mission in Afghanistan is set to conclude.

While no announcements have been made about U.S. troop levels after that date, Obama and Karzai signed an agreement in May which, after more than a decade of war, called for an enduring strategic partnership, with U.S forces continuing to train Afghan security forces and conducting counterterror operations.

“It’s not just about troop numbers in Afghanistan, it’s also about a bilateral security agreement, progress on the peace process and a range of other issues and we think there will be a very productive discussion,” Little said.

Panetta will accompany Karzai on a tour of the 9/11 Memorial, built adjacent to the Pentagon to remember the 184 people who lost their lives when al-Qaida terrorists flew a jet into the nation’s defense headquarters.

Karzai will meet with Obama at the White House on Jan. 11.