Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- President Barack Obama made an unannounced visit Friday to Afghanistan, where he delivered holiday greetings to U.S. troops stationed there and promised continued full support in the war against Taliban and other extremists.
The president, who stayed for almost four hours before heading back to Washington, addressed nearly 3,900 troops at Bagram Airfield. Most of the troops were with the Army's 101st Airborne Division, though components of all the service branches were represented.
"I wanted to make sure that I could spend a little time this holiday with the finest fighting force the world has ever known," he told the enthusiastic audience. "On behalf of more than 300 million Americans, we are here to say thank you".
The president praised the troops for what he characterized as recent military gains in the nine-year conflict. CNN
