By AP
Fort Campbell, KY – Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai is visiting Fort Campbell today as thousands of soldiers there prepare to deploy to his country this summer. Karzai, who earlier this week met with wounded soldiers and visited Arlington Cemetery, will meet privately with soldiers and families at the base.
Joining him will be Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry and General Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan.
About 20,000 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division are deploying this year and will be part of a troop buildup to fight the Taliban insurgency.