McCain talks drones, security in Kabul

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- A U.S. congressional delegation praised developments in Afghanistan following a meeting with top leaders in Kabul, the Afghan president said.

U.S. Sens. John McCain, R- Ariz., and Joe Lieberman, Ind.-Conn., led a delegation to the region to meet with top leaders to discuss the U.S. war strategy in Afghanistan.

The leaders said they were impressed with developments in Afghanistan since U.S. forces overthrew the Taliban regime.

"Afghanistan has achieved a lot since 2002, when we first visited," the leaders were quoted as saying in a statement from the office of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Karzai's office said he spoke with U.S. lawmakers on the need to reconcile with opposition forces that have no ties to al-Qaida or other regional terrorists groups.

McCain stressed the need for continued unmanned missile strikes in Afghanistan as U.S. troops begin the surge into the region, CNN International reports.

"The drone strikes are part of an overall set of tactics which make up the strategy for victory," said McCain. "They have been very effective, and they have knocked al-Qaida and other Islamic extremist organizations off balance."

McCain and his delegation head next to Islamabad, where they are expected to address Pakistani concerns over the Afghan military surge.