Gen. Dempsey with Marine Major General Charles Gurganus, ISAF Regional Commander-Southwest. Facebook
Why Dempsey Kept His Afghanistan Visit Secret -- Kevin Baron, Foreign Policy
Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, does not like to take reporters on his overseas travels, but even the Pentagon press corps was surprised when he appeared in Afghanistan unannounced this week.
It had become standard practice in recent years that when the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visits the war zone, he takes a rotation of reporters along with him. After all, he is the senior-most ranking U.S. military officer and senior military advisor to the president.
So in Thursday's Pentagon press briefing, Dempsey was asked to explain why he kept this visit secret.
"I kept it under wraps because I was afraid you all would ask to come with me," he said, jokingly. He also did not take Col. David Lapan, his spokesman.
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My Comment: They know that they are a target .... and that the Taliban have probably infiltrated the Afghan security forces from top to bottom. So much for the message that the Taliban are having their "last gasp".