War in Iraq

Pawlenty visits troops in Afghanistan

by Tim Pugmire, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — Gov. Tim Pawlenty has followed up his weekend trip to Iraq with a stop in Afghanistan.

Pawlenty's office said the governor spent two days this week in Afghanistan visiting Minnesota troops in Bagram during the second leg of an overseas trip. He also visited the U.S. Embassy and military installations in Kabul.

There are 12 Minnesota National Guard soldiers and 20 airman deployed in Afghanistan with more scheduled to arrive there soon.

Pawlenty and the governors of Illinois, Missouri, Nevada and Texas made earlier stops on Iraq and Kuwait. A news release issued after the delegation left Afghanistan said the governors had arrived in Germany to visit a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl before returning home.

Pawlenty will be back in Minnesota on Wednesday.