Gates in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates traveled to Afghanistan to assure local leaders the U.S. military didn't plan to desert the country.

About a week after U.S. President Barack Obama said he was ordering an additional 30,000 troops to the Afghan fighting and immediately set a goal of beginning to withdraw them beginning in July 2011, Gates made an unannounced trip to Baghdad to speak with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

There are fears in Afghanistan that the apparent deadline -- U.S. officials have often said there is no open-ended commitment to Afghanistan -- would lead militants to pull back and wait until international forces leave before trying again to take over the country.

The United States and its allies are seeking to hand over security of the country to Afghan forces but it is unclear when Kabul can put together an effective local army and police.

On Tuesday, Gates said: "Our government will not again turn our back on this country or the region.

"We will fight by your side until the afghan forces are large enough and strong enough to secure the nation on their own."

Karzai said it would likely to take five years to build an effective Afghan force and even then outside funding would be needed for 15-20 years to keep it vital.