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Obama prepares for trip to Middle East, Europe

Taleb Alkardai holds up a copy of The New Yorker magazine showing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama dressed as a Muslim and his wife as a terrorist at his midtown newsstand in New York City on Monday. PHOTO: AFP

Senator Barack Obama is setting the stage for his upcoming visit to Iraq with a high-profile explanation of his opposition to the war there and his pledge to complete a US troop pullout within 16 months of becoming president.

In a major speech scheduled yesterday, the Democrat was to explain how missteps in Iraq have hurt efforts to strengthen US security, aides said.

He was also to discuss his proposal to add two new brigades in Afghanistan, as well as call for Pakistan to step up its own efforts dealing with terrorists.

In addition, the speech was to discuss Obama’s belief in the need for diplomacy to address Iran’s nuclear program, while addressing other global challenges such as climate change and energy security, the aides said.

Later in the day, Obama was to conduct a series of television interviews to bolster his remarks.

The flurry of activity followed an Obama op-ed piece in the New York Times that called for additional US brigades, about 7,000 more troops in Afghanistan and argued the US faces a growing threat from a resurgent al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

His rival, John McCain, also planned an address tomorrow focused on Afghanistan. Nine US soldiers were killed and 14 wounded on Sunday, the US military’s highest death toll there in three years.

McCain has accused Obama of favoring surrender in Iraq by outlining a troop withdrawal timetable.

He told reporters on Monday: “I think we need to do whatever is necessary [in Afghanistan] and that could entail more troops.”

Obama has visited Iraq only once and has never been to Afghanistan. He plans to visit both during a trip later this month that will also take him to Jordan and Israel in the Middle East, as well as Germany, France and Britain.

A top Palestinian negotiator said on Monday that the Democrat would also go to the West Bank to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Saeb Erekat said Obama would travel to Ramallah on July 23.

McCain has visited Israel, but did not meet with the Palestinians.

Obama will be accompanied by Senators Chuck Hagel and Jack Reed. Hagel, a Nebraska Republican, is a Vietnam War veteran, while Reed is a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point and former Army Ranger. Both have been mentioned as possible Obama vice presidential running mates.

McCain has lambasted Obama for his lack of travel in the region and for not meeting in Iraq with the top US commander, Army General David Petraeus.

Obama has been trumpeting the fact that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said last week his country wanted some type of timetable for a withdrawal of US forces included in a deal needed to keep US troops in Iraq after a UN mandate expires at year’s end.

US President George W. Bush opposes a withdrawal timetable, arguing it would embolden insurgents and prompt them to lay in wait for a US departure.
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