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Senator Kaine visits troops in Afghanistan

Posted at 12:46 PM, Jul 04, 2013
and last updated 2013-07-04 12:46:31-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D – Virginia) visited Virginia soldiers serving in Kabul, Afghanistan this Fourth of July. The senator is overseas as part of a week-long trip to the Middle East. Details of the trip are not being released due to security concerns, Kaine’s office said.

U.S. Senator John McCain (R – Arizona) also arrived on an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Thursday, a coalition spokeswoman told CNN.

The Arizona Republican is expected to meet with U.S. forces. He is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The Fourth of July visit comes as the United States prepares to draw down its forces in Afghanistan.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force plans to withdraw all international combat troops by the end of 2014 but to keep a residual force in the country to help train Afghans and carry out counterterrorism operations when needed. The size of that force remains under discussion.

(The CNN wire contributed to this report)