Obama May Visit Iraq, But Not With McCain

Democrat Says He Is Considering Trip This Summer, But Declines GOP Candidate's Offer For A Joint Trip

(AP)  Barack Obama is considering a visit to Iraq this summer, his first since becoming a presidential candidate.

The Democrat, who has been criticized by Republican rival John McCain for not visiting Iraq since 2006, revealed his plans to The New York Times. He also declined McCain's invitation for a joint trip.

"I just don't want to be involved in a political stunt," Obama said, according to a report on the newspaper's Web site Wednesday.

"I think that if I'm going to Iraq, then I'm there to talk to troops and talk to commanders," he said in the interview. "I'm not there to try to score political points or perform. The work they're doing there is too important."

McCain said he was pleased to hear that Obama was considering making the trip.

"It's long overdue," he told reporters in Los Angeles.

But that apparently welcome news gave the rivals another opportunity to engage each other on major campaign issues - the war in Iraq and who possesses the leadership and judgement to be the next commander in chief.

McCain supports continued U.S. military involvement in Iraq; Obama opposes the war and wants to bring home the troops.

McCain said Obama "was driven to his position by ideology and not by the facts on the ground. And he does not have the knowledge or the experience to make the judgments. Presidents have to listen and learn. Presidents have to make judgments no matter how popular or unpopular they may be."

Obama, who spoke to reporters on his airplane Wednesday night as he flew home to Chicago, said it's "not relevant" that he hasn't been to Iraq since 2006 and that McCain was using the argument as a diversion.

"I don't think John McCain or the Bush administration have a very strong argument to make about their foreign policy, so they're going to try to come up with diversions or distractions and not argue the substance," Obama said.

Obama's campaign has been considering an overseas trip since last year to beef up his foreign policy credentials, but the extended fight for the Democratic nomination with Hillary Rodham Clinton has delayed those plans.

"A trip is under consideration but no final plans have been made," spokesman Bill Burton said Wednesday.

The Illinois senator made his only trip to Iraq in January 2006 as part of a congressional delegation. McCain, a senator from Arizona, has been to Iraq eight times, most recently in March.

McCain has been criticizing Obama for his absence from Iraq, and the Republican Party joined the fray Wednesday by launching an online clock to count the days since last visited the war zone. By the GOP's count, it's been 871 days.

McCain seemed offended that Obama characterized the invitation for a joint trip as a political stunt, saying it showed Obama's "lack of appreciation of the importance of this issue."

"I don't think that people who serve there would believe that a visit to find out the facts by a person who wants to lead the country, would be a, quote, stunt," he said.

Obama also had harsh words for McCain's assertion that Obama is more willing to meet the heads of rogue states, such as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, than with Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

In Reno, Nev., McCain asked: "Why is it that Senator Obama wants to sit down with the president of Iran but hasn't yet sat down with General Petraeus, the leader of our troops in Iraq?"

Obama said that was "just a typical sarcastic comment that doesn't have anything to do with substance and is patently untrue, since I just saw General Petraeus when he was testifying in Washington."

[klyphan1]

I AM HAPPY TO SEE WHITE AMERICANS ARE LOSERS! DID I SAY AMERICANS ARE NOT READY FOR BLACK PRESIDENT? WOMEN IS THE BEST.
Guess what I meant?
Good LUCK!

[ioweign]

LibH8er,,,, Quite frankly why should he travel with McBush ???

If I traveled with McBush I would throw him out the window over the Atlantic for the damage he''''s done to our military, our nation & our national security.

Posted by j-whitman at 04:35 PM : May 29, 2008


McBush in a cockpit - look at his Naval Air career - not quite his strong suit - what is his strong suit ?

[terrorislami]

NO RECESSION!!!

Economy''s growth picks up slightly in first quarter
Economy grows at a 0.9 percent pace, better than first thought but still weak
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080529/economy.html?.v=21

[terrorislami]

HEY HUSSEIN???

WHAT ABOUT YOUR COUSIN IN KENYA AND YOUR RADICAL MUSLIM LUO TRIBE YOU VISITED IN 2006???

ARE THEY NOT COMMITTING GENOCIDE TOO???


Obama''s Cousin Charged With Ethnic Cleansing
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/01/great-obamas-cousin-charged-with-ethnic.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7192958.stm

Obama''s relative linked to Ethnic Cleansing in Kenya
http://libertarianrepublican.blogspot.com/2008/02/obamas-relative-linked-to-ethnic.html

Signs in Kenya That Killings Were Planned
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1957451/posts

Ten Obvious Reasons Why Islam is NOT a Religion of Peace
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/Top-10-Reasons.htm

Kenya Muslim Violence Pictorial *Warning Graphic*

Africa, Kenya, Muslims%u2026nothing more needs to be said%u2026
http://patdollard.com/2008/01/kenya-muslim-violence-pictorial-warning-graphic/

The Kenyan jihad
http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/433766/the-kenyan-jihad.thtml

nothing new,,, more radical muslims ethnically cleansing non-muslims

19 Burned to Death in Violence in Kenya
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1960644/posts

[realpatriot1]

McCain needs to visit Iraq again. He claimed that Mosul was peaceful on the same day that 3 suicide attacks happened there.

[von_marko]

O''Baama''s travel itinerary as president:
1. Meet with Al Q
2. Meet with Iran
3. Meet with Syria
4. Under no circumstance visit US troops in Iraq
5. Meet with Hugo Chavez
6. Meet with Castro
7. Repeat step 4
8. Go on vacation with mom to Jamaica to increase foreign policy resume
9. Repeat step 4

[boycot-china]

Senator Obama: When will you finally visit Iraq?

Vets for Freedom is releasing a second ad, featuring Iraq war veteran and Vets for Freedom member, Specialist Kate Norley. Kate, who served 16 months on the front lines as a combat medic, asks Senator Obama two simple, but powerful, questions:

1. Senator Obama, when will you finally decide to go back to Iraq, to see the progress first hand?

2. And when will you finally decide to meet one-on-one, unconditionally, with General Petraeus?

Shortcut to: http://michellemalkin.com/2008/05/29/spc-kate-norley-speaks-truth-to-obama-sens-lieberman-and-graham-step-down-from-vets-for-freedom/

[mr2258]

Obama going to Iraq.HA HA HA HA. He is not going to Iraq.He is a COWARD.He is scared to go.

[j-whitman]

Anyone see the Puppet Strings on McCain yet ??? You can''t miss them.

[j-whitman]

This GOP is nuts -- Every White House attempt to distance McCain from Bush just pulls him closer

[j-whitman]

Oh boy, The White House pulled McBush in on the campaign to smear Scott McCellann ---- Gotta echo the Bush message with Bush 3

[omaar-101]

The Bin Laden Plan: What a Joke, Your Elected 2 Term President and his Father, George Bush Sr, have a (20 yr) Bin Laden Family & Friends Relationship and are Still Friends ..

The Bush Administration Gathered up all the Bin Ladens, via FBI Clearence and Flew them Home, Safely, Days After (911).

When the Bush Admin. could`ve Held & Detained them, until Bin Laden`s Surrender or Capture.

You Blind as a Bat... Low Lifes.

I Guess Bin Laden and the Bush`s really have a Great (20 Yr) Relationship..Huh


Suckers !!

[omaar-101]

Concern mounts over Rising Troop (Suicides)Last years 2,100 attempted Suicides --

An average of more than 5 per day --

Compares with about 350 suicide attempts in 2002, the year before the war in Iraq began, according to the Army.


Average of 5 soldiers Per Day tried to commit suicide in 2007, Army figures show

U.S. WASHINGTON

(CNN) -- Every day, five U.S.
soldiers try to kill themselves. Before the Iraq war began, that figure was Less than One Suicide Attempt a Day.


The dramatic increase is revealed in new U.S. Army figures, which show 2,100 soldiers (Tried to Commit Suicide in 2007).

"Suicide attempts are rising and have risen over the last five years," said Col. Elspeth Cameron-Ritchie, an Army psychiatrist.


"Our troops and their families are under unprecedented levels of stress due to the pace and frequency of more than five years of deployments," Webb said in a written statement.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, took to the Senate floor Thursday, urging MORE HELP for Military Members, especially for those Returning From War.

"Our Brave Service Members who face Deployment After Deployment without the rest, recovery and treatment they need are at the breaking point," Murray said.


According to Army statistics, the incidence of U.S. Army soldiers attempting suicide or inflicting injuries on themselves has SKYROCKETED in the nearly five years since the START of the IRAQ WAR.

[omaar-101]

McCain Needs to Listen to the Top Naval Commander, who Agrees with (Diplomacy over War with Iran)

U.S. Commander: Iran War Would Be ''''Disastrous''''

U.S. Navy''''s Persian Gulf Commander Says War With Iran Would Cause ''''Aftershocks'''' in the Region


www.abcnews.com


RSS The top U.S. Navy official in the Persian Gulf warned in an interview with ABC News that war with Iran would be "pretty disastrous," with "echoes and aftershocks" reverberating throughout the region.

Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff, the top U.S. Navy official in the Persian Gulf, told ABC News that war with Iran would be "disastrous," and that the ideal way to interact with the country is through diplomatic methods.

Nobody I''''ve spoken to suggests that going to war with Iran is a good thing," Vice Adm. Kevin Cosgriff told ABC News.

"The preferred path by far is the (Diplomatic Path), keep working with the international community to bring the right sort of pressure to bear on the Islamic Republic of Iran."

For years, there has been a swirl of speculation about the prospects of war, as the United States has accused Iran of arming militias in Iraq, trying to develop nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism.

President Bush and other top U.S. officials have repeatedly stressed diplomacy when it comes to Iran, but say "all options are on the table," including the military option.

[realpatriot1]

Rachel Ray...Master of Deceit. She''s a Manchurian candidate for certain! What do you expect from someone who hangs out with Oprah!

She''ll probably start eating some freedom fries to cover up her rampant anti-Americanism.

Thank God for Michelle malkin and other defenders of America for making us safe from scarves!

[j-whitman]

LibH8er,,,, Quite frankly why should he travel with McBush ???

If I traveled with McBush I would throw him out the window over the Atlantic for the damage he''s done to our military, our nation & our national security.

[libh8er]

''Obama May Visit Iraq, But Not With McCain''

He doesn''t want to be seen next to McCain while he''s dressd up in his muslim garb.

[j-whitman]

cbscrash07,,,,, ,,,,, Run for your life -- Dunkin Donuts has Donunts made from Nigerian Yellow Cake Mix & Delivery trucks that are actually chemical weapons labs - They put camel milk in the Arabica coffee

[j-whitman]

cbscrash07,,,,, Run for your life -- Dunkin Donuts will destroy America, eat your babies & force you to convert to Islam

[realpatriot1]

cbscrash07,

This is how he spins it. None of the benchmarks have been met. The oil revenue is not being shared(it''s going into the pockets of Iranian-backed militia). The Iraqi Army is deserting rather than taking the place of our troops. The Shiite Militias have infiltrated the Army, the police, and the government itself.

If he goes he should meet not only with the American Generals and troops, but also with the Iraqi Army & Police Commanders, Al-Maliki,Al-Sadr,Sistani,and the Irai Parliament.

A McCain "Mission Accomplished" Photo Opp Parade through a cordoned off market accomplishes nothing.

Sort of like a gas tax Holiday.