Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


US Defense Secretary Arrives in Kabul Amid Strained Relations

   VOA News  March 07, 2011
   General  Petraeu, Commander of ISAF Afghanistan, chats with US Defense
   Secretary Gates upon Gates' arrival in Kabul, March 7, 2011

Photo: Reuters

   General  Petraeu, Commander of ISAF Afghanistan, chats with US Defense
   Secretary Gates upon Gates' arrival in Kabul, March 7, 2011

   U.S.  Defense  Secretary  Robert  Gates arrived in the Afghan capital,
   Kabul, Monday.
   Officials  say his trip will focus on preparations for the transfer of
   security  responsibility  to  Afghan  forces, which is due to start in
   July.
   Gates will visit several areas where authorities say Afghan troops are
   playing  a  larger  role  in  military operations and new local police
   units are beginning to have an impact.
   The  defense  secretary  will  also  meet  with Afghan President Hamid
   Karzai and senior U.S. And NATO commanders.
   Gates'  trip  to  Afghanistan  comes  at at time of strained relations
   between  the  South  Asian nation and the U.S., following the mistaken
   killing  of  nine  Afghan boys during a NATO airstrike in northeastern
   Kunar province last Tuesday.
   President  Karzai  told  General David Petraeus, commander of U.S.-led
   NATO  forces in Afghanistan, Sunday that his apology for the deaths of
   the boys was "not enough."
   The  Afghan  leader  said  civilian  casualties  resulting  from  NATO
   military operations are "no longer acceptable."
   The  killing  of  the  boys,  who  were  mistaken for insurgents while
   collecting  firewood, sent hundreds into the streets of Kabul, Sunday.
   Protesters shouted "Death to America."

.