The United States and other countries helping to fight Islamist extremists "don't dare" turn their backs on Afghanistan, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Friday, wrapping up a short visit. The September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States were a consequence of the neglect of Afghanistan after Washington and others helped Afghan fighters end the Soviet occupation, Gates told US troops.
"We helped these people throw the Soviets out 20 years ago," he said in the strategic province of Wardak, near Kabul, in a final meeting with US troops before heading back to Washington.
"Then we neglected Afghanistan and we paid the consequences for it in 2001. We won't do that again. You are here to make sure we don't do that again," he told about 100 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division.
Four years after the Soviets left, Al-Qaeda -- which used Afghanistan for training camps -- staged its first attack on the United States with the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Centre, Gates later told reporters.
"If there is a lesson for Americans and the international community, it is that we don't dare turn our backs on Afghanistan," said Gates, who was involved in the anti-Soviet effort during his years at the CIA.
Gates arrived in Kabul Wednesday on an unannounced trip to inspect preparations for the deployment of an extra 21,000 US soldiers as Washington escalates its war against Taliban insurgents.
He travelled to military bases in the southern flashpoint provinces of Helmand and Kandahar, which see some of the heaviest fighting between troops and the Al-Qaeda-backed insurgents.
It was his first visit to Afghanistan since US President Barack Obama took office in January and unveiled a sweeping new strategy to turn the tide against a growing Islamist insurgency challenging the Kabul government.
"This will work, if we stay engaged," Gates said.
His visit coincided with public anger over US-led air strikes in western Afghanistan that local police say killed dozens of civilians.
Gates said he was buoyed by talks he held on Friday with local government and tribal leaders from the Wardak area.
The leaders touted an experimental programme recently launched in the area with guards chosen by community leaders protecting public buildings and mosques in support of the police and provincial authorities.
"Actually the conversations that I had this morning are some of the most encouraging that I've had," said Gates.
He also said he was reassured that recent decisions to provide more helicopters for medical evacuations and improved armoured vehicles had helped save the lives of American troops.
"The Pentagon is so huge you never know where you have an impact," he said.
Washington plans to have its reinforcements in place in Afghanistan by September. There are currently about 38,000 US forces serving in the country but US officials say this could rise to 68,000 by the end of the year.