By Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is in Afghanistan today to press President Hamid Karzai on “the political and security situations,” in the country, according to her aides.
Pelosi and seven House Democrats traveling with her are there to visit American troops, who are about to get some company now that President Barack Obama has pledged to increase their numbers by 17,000.
“While in Afghanistan, the delegation met with U.S. military leaders, and the U.S. Diplomatic team in Kabul to better assess the best course of action to further our national security interests in preparation for the completion of President Obama’s strategic review of the Afghanistan policy,” Pelosi said in a statement.
There was apparently some tough talk in the meeting with Karzai, according to Pelosi, who said she broached the subject of “the continued corruption and lack of effectiveness by the Afghan police” the resurgence of the Taliban and the need to crack down on poppy cultivation and drug trafficking, among other things.
Pelosi visited Italy last week.
