Mr Gates met with Afghan president in private and is believed to have called for an acceleration in the training of Afghan forces to pave the way for the eventual withdrawal of American troops.
US president Barack Obama finally buckled to pressure from his military commanders last week and announced the deployment of an extra 30,000 troops to help in the fight against the Taliban insurgency.
General Stanley McChrystal and US ambassador Karl Eikenberry are due to appear before Congress later today to outline how the new strategy, which will see the troops deployed almost immediately but also begin to withdraw within 18 months, will be implemented.
Mr Eikenberry, especially, can expect a tough grilling from those opposed to the troop surge after his concerns about sending extra troops to Afghanistan were leaked to the press last month.
Mr Gates meanwhile has pressed President Karzai to appoint 'honest' ministers when he names his new Cabinet in the coming days.
Mr Karzai's re-election has been marred with allegations of vote-rigging and widespread corruption.
'We'll all be watching the appointments that get made,' Mr Gates has said.
'It is important to us, in terms of all of our success, including the Afghan success, to have capable and honest ministers in the areas that matter the most to us.'
Mr Gates has also revealed he will tell American soldiers stationed in Afghanistan when he meets them during his trip that: 'We're in this thing to win.'
The Nato coalition has come under increased pressure in recent months over the effectiveness of the ongoing military campaign that has now entered into its eighth year.
Yesterday the Ministry of Defence confirmed the 100th British military casualty in Afghanistan this year.
The news came hours before defence secretary Bob Ainsworth arrived in the country on a visit to meet British troops and Afghan officials.
US president Barack Obama finally buckled to pressure from his military commanders last week and announced the deployment of an extra 30,000 troops to help in the fight against the Taliban insurgency.
General Stanley McChrystal and US ambassador Karl Eikenberry are due to appear before Congress later today to outline how the new strategy, which will see the troops deployed almost immediately but also begin to withdraw within 18 months, will be implemented.
Mr Eikenberry, especially, can expect a tough grilling from those opposed to the troop surge after his concerns about sending extra troops to Afghanistan were leaked to the press last month.
Mr Gates meanwhile has pressed President Karzai to appoint 'honest' ministers when he names his new Cabinet in the coming days.
Mr Karzai's re-election has been marred with allegations of vote-rigging and widespread corruption.
'We'll all be watching the appointments that get made,' Mr Gates has said.
'It is important to us, in terms of all of our success, including the Afghan success, to have capable and honest ministers in the areas that matter the most to us.'
Mr Gates has also revealed he will tell American soldiers stationed in Afghanistan when he meets them during his trip that: 'We're in this thing to win.'
The Nato coalition has come under increased pressure in recent months over the effectiveness of the ongoing military campaign that has now entered into its eighth year.
Yesterday the Ministry of Defence confirmed the 100th British military casualty in Afghanistan this year.
The news came hours before defence secretary Bob Ainsworth arrived in the country on a visit to meet British troops and Afghan officials.
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