Obama arrives in Iraq

[Wretched Excess]

Obama arrives in Iraq

BAGHDAD, July 21 U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama flew to Iraq on Monday to get a first-hand look at security conditions in the country, where violence is at its lowest since early 2004.

His visit thrusts U.S. strategy in Iraq and troop levels to the centre-stage of the November election race between the first-term senator from Illinois and Republican candidate John McCain. There are more than 140,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Obama has called for the removal of U.S. combat troops within 16 months of taking office should he win the election.

He was expected to meet Iraqi leaders and U.S. commanders, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad said without giving details.

Obama visited Afghanistan over the weekend, the other big foreign policy challenge the next American president will face.

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[TheSarge]

Figures he decides to show up AFTER all the heavy lifting is done.

[Chris_]

Figures he decides to show up AFTER all the heavy lifting is done.

Two questions.......

1.  I wonder if he will venture outside the "green zone".......

2.  Why is it that since (I'm told) that the black population in the armed services very closely mirrors that of the overall American population.....every media piece that I see broadcast of the magic negro over there, he is surrounded by mostly "black" faces.......

........Inquiring minds want to know.....

doc

[Wretched Excess]

what happened to the 16 month plan that obama has been so consistent about over the past two year, and that
the iraqi president endorsed . . . and then denied endorsing.

this guy is all over the place.

Obama talks to U.S. commanders and Iraqi officials

Baghdad - Following criticism from Republican presidential candidate John McCain that his rival had not spent enough time in Iraq, Democratic candidate Barack Obama made his second trip to Iraq Monday, meeting with American military commanders and upper-level Iraqi officials.

Although Senator Obama has publicly stated he will withdraw troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office if he wins, he did not discuss this plan with Iraqi officials. During a meeting with Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, the senator emphasized that he would do his best to guarantee the security of Iraq without specifically commenting on plans to withdraw US forces, says Naseer al-Ani, a senior official in President Talabani's office who was present for the meeting.

Although Obama's and Senator McCain's proposals for Iraq appear quite different – McCain has commented that US troops could be in Iraq for the next hundred years, compared with Obama's 16-month paln – most Iraqi politicians say they are not taking sides in the election.

"The situation in Iraq is working in a good way, and this good situation is connected to the Iraqis more than the Americans. Any new American president will be looking to make the situation in Iraq better," says parliamentarian Sheikh Hameed Mullaa, a Shiite and member of the Iraqi Islamic Supreme Council.

Obama's trip comes after a controversy stirred this weekend when a German magazine quoted Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as saying that he agreed with Obama's 16-month timetable. Mr. Maliki's office said his words had not been translated correctly. The prime minister has called for a withdrawal of American troops, but given no dates.

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[TheSarge]

And once again the Lib media is taking McCain's "100 years" comment COMPLETELY out of contest.