Editors, reporters: New photos of Governor Daniels? trip will be posted beginning today at 2:30 p.m. at http://www.in.gov/gov/media/middle_east_visit.html This will include photos from Afghanistan received today. The Web page will be updated as photos are received.

INDIANAPOLIS (April 17, 2006) ? Governor Mitch Daniels met with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and with Hoosiers deployed to Afghanistan during his last stop in the Middle East today on a multi-day Department of Defense tour.

Daniels, traveling with governors from three others states, arrived in Kabul on Sunday evening and participated in a reception with Afghanistan provincial governors. Daniels and the other governors were scheduled for a morning meeting with Karzai, and the Afghan leader extended a further invitation of hospitality.

?He insisted we stay for lunch with him and some of his ministry members, so the schedule was changed. We had an extensive conversation with this remarkable man,? said Daniels today by phone after leaving Afghanistan.

Immediately after lunch, the governors made one final stop at a military base in Afghanistan where Daniels met with more Hoosiers.

?The morale and sense of mission is extraordinary. I continue to observe the care that is being taken for troop safety and to minimize the discomfort of their conditions,? said Daniels.

Daniels has been joined by Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa, Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida, and Gov. Joe Manchin of West Virginia on the trip. They departed from Washington, D.C., on April 13 and have visited Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. The group is expected to return to Washington on Tuesday evening, and the governor is scheduled to return to Indiana on Wednesday afternoon.

?We?ve been going so hard everyday, with little sleep, so it will take a couple of days to fully recognize what my reactions are to everything we?ve seen and the Hoosiers I?ve met. There is enormous pride with what is being accomplished,? said Daniels.