US President George W Bush [Images] Wednesday hailed Afghanistan's progress under President Hamid Karzai [Images] since the fall of the Taliban [Images] in 2001.
"We are impressed by the progress that your country is making Mr President, a lot of it has to do with your leadership," Bush told Karzai at a joint conference during the US leader's first visit to the country.
Karzai said Afghanistan was indebted to the United States, which led the military operation that overthrew the hardline Taliban following the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.
"We owe a great, great deal in this country's rebuilding peace, democracy -- strong steps towards the future -- to your support, to your leadership, to the American people," Karzai said.
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