OBAMA GOES TO MUSLIM AFGHANISTAN ON PALM SUNDAY

Since being elected, Obama hasn't been to church yet - except for politics.

And he's chosen to go to Afghanistan on Palm Sunday:

US President Barack Obama has arrived in Afghanistan on his first visit to the country since taking office.

At a joint press conference, Mr Karzai thanked Mr Obama for US support and said he hoped the partnership would continue.

"The American people are encouraged by the progress that's been made," Mr Obama said, adding he hoped to see more improvement on governance, anti-corruption efforts and judicial process.

He also thanked US troops, and their partners in the Nato coalition, for their efforts in Afghanistan.

"They make tremendous sacrifices far away from home, and I want to make sure they know how proud their commander-in-chief is of them," he said.

The pair are expected to hold one-to-one talks during Mr Obama's visit to the heavily-guarded presidential palace.

The US president is then expected to go back to the US military base at Bagram, where he is likely to address troops and may also visit injured soldiers.

US officials said Mr Obama would discuss benchmarks with Mr Karzai and other senior government figures.

The US president remains unhappy with the direction of the Karzai government and Washington wants to make its frustration known, our correspondent adds.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs also said Mr Obama wanted to get an "on the ground update" about the eight-year-old war from Gen Stanley McChrystal, commander of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan.

The president was met on arrival at Bagram air base by Gen McChrystal and the US ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry.

Strained relations

Mr Obama travelled to Afghanistan during his campaign for the 2008 presidential election, while still a senator, but this is his first visit to the country since becoming the US commander-in-chief in January 2009.

There were strained relations between the White House and the Karzai government last year over the disputed Afghan elections.

BETCHYA HE WORKS IN A "VISIT" TO A MOSQUE!