Begich spends Memorial Day in trouble zone

"The trip has been very encouraging," Begich, a Democrat, told Alaska reporters in a teleconference from Afghanistan on Monday. Among Afghans he met, the new American strategy of building up U.S. military forces and increasing training of police and civil government is bringing new hope, he said.

The delegation is being led by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del. All five senators are Democrats. Carper, in a later teleconference with reporters, said he had been asking Republicans to join him for more than month, but none did.

For security reasons, neither Begich nor the other senators would say precisely where they were or where they were going next.

Begich said security issues also prevented him from visiting the three eastern border provinces where 3,500 troops from the 4-25th airborne brigade from Fort Richardson are deployed.

But the senators visited Helmand Province, one of the Taliban's biggest strongholds. Begich said he found soldiers from Alaska to visit on other bases.

Begich said he'd talk in greater detail after he returns to the United States on Wednesday and will speak about his trip at an Alaska World Trade Center luncheon in Anchorage June 1.

Nearly every Afghan and American official he met, from President Hamid Karzei and Ambassador Karl Eikenberry to local officials and military commanders, welcomed the new U.S. initiatives, he said.

"The issue that seemed to be a thread among all the leadership was figuring out the right method to ensure that there is local governance in these provinces and communities," Begich said. "A lot of the governance is now centralized in Kabul. They believe the success of their country will be at the local levels going forward. As a former mayor that was music to my ears because I always believe that local government is the best in how to deliver the services."

Flying over the country in helicopters, Begich said he was stunned by its ruggedness.

"We think in Alaska that our mountains are rough and tough -- the terrain here is unbelievable," Begich said. "Besides being desert in lots of areas, hot, and long distances between settlements, the mountainous areas are unbelievable."

Under the new U.S. policy, an additional 17,000 troops are being sent to Afghanistan, Begich said. But just as important are 4,000 new trainers who will also be sent there by the United States. Most will also be from the military and will mainly be helping Afghanistan train police and other security forces. Afghanistan wants to increase its security forces from about 90,000 currently to about 400,000, he said.

Another 300 will be civilians recruited from the State Department and other parts of the federal government, Begich said. He and the other senators conceded that it may not be easy to find people willing to work there, and that experts might have to be found from other countries.

In the period before the surge of forces in Iraq in 2007, U.S. commanders there complained they couldn't get enough civilian support from the State Department.

Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., who was also on the delegation with Begich, said the new administration will push harder. But, he added, "this isn't going to be easy."