Obama vows to end US role in Iraq

by amyjudd | July 15, 2008 at 08:06 pm | 91 views | add comment

Barack Obama has said today that his main priority if he is elected president would be to end US involvemnet in Iraq.

I'm thinking he has said something to this effect before, but today he made if official and plans to act upon it if he can.

Speaking before an international tour, Mr Obama said "our single-minded and open-ended focus on Iraq is not a sound strategy for keeping America safe".

The senator said another priority would be to take the war to al-Qaeda and the Taleban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

His Republican rival accused Mr Obama of contradicting himself over Iraq.

John McCain said the US "surge" of American troops in Iraq was working, and that the same strategy should be applied to Afghanistan.

In an apparent criticism of the Bush administration, Mr McCain said the US effort in Afghanistan was "no way to run a war".

Addressing supporters in New Mexico, he said: "If I'm elected president, I will turn around the war in Afghanistan, just as we have turned around the war in Iraq, with a comprehensive strategy for victory."

He also said he would bring al-Qaeda's leader, Osama Bin Laden, to justice.

Mr Obama's foreign policy speech comes ahead of a tour that will include Iraq and Afghanistan, the dates of which have not been disclosed for security reasons.