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3 December 2010
Last updated at 14:26 ET
President Barack Obama has told US troops in Afghanistan they are making crucial "progress" against insurgents.
During an unannounced visit to Bagram air base near Kabul, Mr Obama said: "Today we can be proud that there are fewer areas under Taliban control."
He was also expected to discuss the conflict with President Hamid Karzai.
The visit comes a year after Mr Obama ordered a troop "surge" in Afghanistan, but weeks after a Pentagon report found violence there at an all-time high.
The US president's national security team is to report on the new strategy later this month.
'New phase' Mr Obama flew to Bagram air base to thank US soldiers for their service during the American holiday season.
He said there would be "difficult days" ahead in their fight against the Taliban.
But he added: "You're achieving your objectives, you will succeed in your mission.
"We said we were going to break the Taliban's momentum. That's what you're doing."
He also said he was looking forward to "a new phase next year, the beginning of transition to Afghan responsibility".
Tensions Mr Obama was also due to meet President Karzai face to face during his brief visit to Afghanistan.
But the White House said bad weather would prevent him from travelling to Kabul and the two men would talk via a secure telephone link.
There has been increasing tension between the US and its Afghan allies.
Mr Karzai has complained about American military tactics, and criticised the decision to start withdrawing US troops in July next year.
And a memo by a US diplomat revealed by the Wikileaks website described President Karzai as having a paranoid world view.
Mr Obama's decision to send 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan was designed to lead to a handover of security duties to Afghan police and troops.
But in a report to Congress issued last month, the Pentagon said violence had reached an all-time high, with clashes up fourfold since 2007.
The report said progress had been "uneven", with only modest gains against the insurgents.
It is Mr Obama's second visit to Afghanistan as president - the first was in March.
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During an unannounced visit to Bagram air base near Kabul, Mr Obama said: "Today we can be proud that there are fewer areas under Taliban control."
He was also expected to discuss the conflict with President Hamid Karzai.
The visit comes a year after Mr Obama ordered a troop "surge" in Afghanistan, but weeks after a Pentagon report found violence there at an all-time high.
The US president's national security team is to report on the new strategy later this month.
'New phase' Mr Obama flew to Bagram air base to thank US soldiers for their service during the American holiday season.
He said there would be "difficult days" ahead in their fight against the Taliban.
But he added: "You're achieving your objectives, you will succeed in your mission.
"We said we were going to break the Taliban's momentum. That's what you're doing."
He also said he was looking forward to "a new phase next year, the beginning of transition to Afghan responsibility".
Tensions Mr Obama was also due to meet President Karzai face to face during his brief visit to Afghanistan.
But the White House said bad weather would prevent him from travelling to Kabul and the two men would talk via a secure telephone link.
There has been increasing tension between the US and its Afghan allies.
Mr Karzai has complained about American military tactics, and criticised the decision to start withdrawing US troops in July next year.
And a memo by a US diplomat revealed by the Wikileaks website described President Karzai as having a paranoid world view.
Mr Obama's decision to send 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan was designed to lead to a handover of security duties to Afghan police and troops.
But in a report to Congress issued last month, the Pentagon said violence had reached an all-time high, with clashes up fourfold since 2007.
The report said progress had been "uneven", with only modest gains against the insurgents.
It is Mr Obama's second visit to Afghanistan as president - the first was in March.
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