Kabul, Afghanistan: New US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi is on a visit to Afghanistan heading a congressional delegation. She met with Afghan president Hamid Karzai in Kabul on Sunday.
The two leaders discussed a possible increase in US troops and a $10-billion aid for Afghanistan.
Just days ago, the Pentagon extended the stay of thirty-two hundred US soldiers in Afghanistan. Pelosi's visit comes a day after Taliban warns more suicide attacks in the coming months.
Pelosi, leading a seven-member congressional delegation, met President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, as well as other officials and US military commanders.
In a joint statement, the delegation said they assessed the war and reconstruction effort with Karzai.
"In our discussions, President Karzai stressed the crucial importance of reconstruction. The delegation commended him for his leadership and discussed additional steps that would enhance the authority of the central government and improve the security situation in the country," the statement said.
The US lawmakers said they would quickly consider a Bush administration proposal to increase aid to Afghanistan to help Karzai's government combat the renewed Taliban insurgency.
Pelosi led the House delegation on a visit to South Asia that included Pakistan, which Afghanistan accuses of supporting a resurgent Taliban. Islamabad denies the charges.
Last year was the bloodiest since the hardline Islamist Taliban government was ousted in 2001—more than 4,000 people died—and US, NATO and Taliban commanders say the coming spring will see a bloody and dangerous offensive within months.
The Pelosi-led delegation's visit comes amid concerns over a provision in a US bill limiting military aid to Islamabad.
The bill, already endorsed by the House of Representatives, calls for ending US military assistance to Pakistan if the country fails to stop the Taliban operating from its territory.
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