Visit of Senator Carl Levin and Senator John Warner Chairman and Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee to Central Asia, the Persian Gulf, Bosnia and Hungary

Senator Carl Levin and Senator John Warner, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Armed Services, spent Thanksgiving week visiting U.S. military forces and key foreign leaders in Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Oman, Bosnia and Hungary.

The purpose of the trip was to show the Armed Services Committee's support for our uniformed forces, especially during this traditional family Thanksgiving period; to make a first-hand assessment of military operations -- past, present and future -- in Afghanistan and the Balkans; and to assess the important support by coalition nations in the region for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Meetings with Key Diplomatic, Civilian and Military Officials:

Uzbekistan

President Islom Karimov
Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov
Minister of Defense Kodir Ghulomov
U.S. Ambassador John Herbst
General Tommy Franks, USA, Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command and his staff

Pakistan

President Pervez Musharraf
Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar
U.S. Ambassador Wendy Chamberlin
Representatives of UNHCR, the UN's World Food Program and NGOs involved in humanitarian relief operations in Afghanistan

Aboard the USS CARL VINSON

Vice Admiral William Moore, USN, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet, his staff, and members of the VINSON's crew

Oman

U. S. Charge Robert Dry

Bosnia

U.S. Ambassador Clifford Bond
Lt. General John Sylvester, USA, Commander, Peace Stabilization Force, Operation Joint Forge, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brigadier General Daniel Long, Jr., USA, Deputy Commander, Task Force Eagle, and other Regular Army and National Guard military personnel

Hungary
U.S. Ambassador Nancy Brinker
Deputy Chief of Mission Janet Garvey

Visits with Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force Conventional and Special Operations Forces Regular, Reserve and National Guard Units, All Jointly Participating in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Joint Forge at the following locations:

Uzbekistan
Pakistan
Aboard the USS CARL VINSON
Oman
Tuzla, Bosnia
Taszar, Hungary