Kabul , Afghanistan ( CNN ) -- The American people need to know that American troops will not still be fighting in Afghanistan in 2025 , Pentagon chief Robert Gates said , but the United States ' relationship with that country will be a long-term one . Gates and Afghan President Hamid Karzai spoke after the two met Thursday . `` Americans will still be here after July 2011 , '' the defense secretary said . `` The president has been very clear that that is the beginning of a process , and the pace will be determined by conditions on the ground in Afghanistan . '' But , he said , `` the American people need to know we are not still going to be fighting this fight 15 years from now . '' `` That said , the reality is we are looking at a long-term relationship with Afghanistan , and we have the confidence that the progress we are making jointly with our Afghan partners and our other allies will allow us to begin a transition to Afghan security control within the next year . '' Karzai , he said , has indicated he believes his country will be ready to accept full security control in 2014 . `` We learned our lesson in turning our back on Afghanistan ion 1989 and we have no intention of doing it again , '' he said , referring to the support the United States provided Afghans during their lengthy battle with Russian troops -- that disappeared when Russia withdrew . Gates ' visit came on the same day that a NATO airstrike killed 10 people in the country 's northeast . A provincial official said those killed were parliamentary campaign workers , but NATO and U.S. officials said the precision airstrike targeted a senior member of an insurgent group . NATO is investigating the incident . Karzai has issued pointed criticism at the coalition for civilian casualties during warfare , including this latest incident , which comes a little more than two weeks ahead of the parliamentary elections . `` The reports that we get so far are 10 killed and three wounded in this operation , '' Karzai said in a joint appearance with Gates after their meeting . He added that a parliamentary candidate was wounded in the attack and that an investigation was under way . `` I have limited knowledge of the strike at this point , '' Gates said . `` I believe I can confirm that a very senior official of the Islamic movement of Uzbekistan was the target and was killed . This was an individual who was responsible for organizing attacks here in Kabul and in northern Afghanistan . This is the first I heard that civilians may have been killed , and we will certainly look into that . '' Gates ' trip comes a day after he visited Iraq , where he attended a change of command ceremony that marked the end of the U.S. combat mission there . Karzai defended his government 's decision to kick private security companies out of the country in four months . `` On the issue of the private security firms , the decision of the Afghan government is final and conclusive , '' he said . `` The presence of security firms is not only adding to the problems of corruption in Afghanistan , the problems of lawlessness in Afghanistan and lots of other affectations ... but they 're also running a parallel structure to the Afghan government . We will not have an effective growth of Afghan security forces '' with the private firms still operational . `` We can not sustain them any more in our country , and I 'm glad to say the U.S. backs this decision with us . '' Gen. David Petraeus , the top U.S. military man in Afghanistan , said initial approaches to some Taliban members as part of a reconciliation initiative have shown promise and could help in the effort to resolve the conflict there . Petraeus , who heads the U.S. and NATO-led forces in Afghanistan , spoke to reporters after greeting Gates , who arrived in the war-torn country Thursday to consult with political and military officials . Petraeus said there have already been approaches toward Taliban officials at senior levels that hold some promise . This comes amid discussions about reaching out to some Taliban members as part of a reconciliation process , but the military is n't envisioning peace talks with hard-liners . Petraeus also addressed a number of other issues , such as the community police plan , which he described as basically `` community watch with AK-47s , under a Ministry of Interior chain of command '' so there are n't concerns about warlords or militias . `` This will not be Sons of Iraq in Afghanistan , '' he said , referring to anti-al Qaeda Sunni groups in Iraq . He also said that since the departure earlier this summer of Gen. Stanley McChrystal -- who was forced to step down after he made controversial comments about members of the Obama administration in a magazine article -- there has been `` a change in personnel , not in overall concept '' in the Afghan mission .
NEW : Gates says American troops will eventually leave Afghanistan . NEW : Transition to Afghan security control will begin next year , he says . NEW : The U.S. is sending a new team of advisers and trainers to help the Afghans fight terrorism in their country.