AP
June 9, 2008
BAMIYAN, Afghanistan - First Lady Laura Bush, on a mission to highlight signs of progress in war-weary Afghanistan, ventured outside the capital yesterday to an area that symbolizes both the destruction and attempt at rebirth.
On her third visit to the country, the first lady flew into Kabul before boarding a helicopter for a 50-minute flight to Bamiyan province.
The helicopter landed in a dusty field at a reconstruction compound operated by New Zealand.
Bush's visit came ahead of a conference Thursday in Paris where the United States hopes countries will pledge billions of dollars to help Afghanistan rebuild.
She intends to address the conference.
"The international community can't drop Afghanistan now," the first lady said.
