Obama urges a plan of action in Afghanistan

Opinion Barry Artiste. Now Public Contributor

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/story.html?id=668410

Obama urges a plan of action in Afghanistan Jon Hemming, Reuters Published: Sunday, July 20, 2008 Photo inset” Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (R) and Afghan President Hamid Karzai walk at the presidential palace in Kabul July 20, 2008. REUTERS/Afghanistan Presidential Palace/Handout KABUL -- U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama called Afghanistan's situation "precarious and urgent" yesterday and said Washington should start planning to transfer more troops there from Iraq. The Illinois Democrat spoke from Afghanistan on U.S. television after meeting privately with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on an overseas trip meant to bolster his foreign policy credentials. "We have to understand that the situation is precarious and urgent here in Afghanistan, and I believe this has to be the central focus, the central front, in our battle against terrorism," Mr. Obama said. Mr. Obama was spending last night in Kuwait, where he met the Gulf Arab state's emir, Sheik Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah. He was due to fly to Iraq for meetings today. He is also due to visit Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and Britain on a foreign tour he hopes will help answer Republican criticism that he lacks the experience to be commander-in-chief. Mr. Obama said after meetings with commanders in Afghanistan that Washington should start planning immediately for a shift of soldiers to the war with the Islamist Taliban from Iraq, where there are four times as many troops.