Pelosi Meets Top Afghan Officials      10/21 06:12

   Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani has met with U.S. House Speaker Nancy 
Pelosi and a group of American lawmakers in an unannounced visit to the country.

   KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani has met with 
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a group of American lawmakers in an 
unannounced visit to the country.

   The Afghan government's statement says that Ghani thanked Sunday the 
delegation for the U.S.'s continued financial and political support for 
Afghanistan over the past 18 years.

   The delegation met with Ghani and Chief Executive Abdallah Abdallah.

   Pelosi on her twitter account said her visit to Afghanistan focused on 
security, governance and economic development.

   The U.S. has approximately 14,000 troops in Afghanistan as part of training 
and advising mission, and to conduct counterterrorism operations against 
insurgents.

   The delegation had visited key U.S. ally Jordan the day before.

   President Donald Trump's policies in both the Mideast and Afghanistan have 
recently drawn bipartisan criticism in Washington.


(KR)