MIDDLE EAST 
Obama meets Iraqi leaders, US commander
Tuesday, 22 July, 2008
Barack Obama meets US military commander in Iraq General David Petraeus. (AAP)
US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has met Iraqi leaders and US military commanders in Baghdad, and says he welcomed the security gains achieved in battling al-Qaeda and Shiite militias.
Obama met Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad after arriving on a two-day trip as part of a Congressional delegation.
VIDEO: Obama arrives in Iraq
RELATED: McCain says time is running out for Iran
IN-DEPTH: More on the US election
His visit comes days after he confirmed he would withdraw most of the American troops in Iraq if he is elected president in November.
Maliki briefed Obama on recent progress in achieving security and stability, the statement said.
"Iraq has succeeded in overcoming many difficulties and security challenges. It has achieved victory over al-Qaeda and militias and now aims to achieve economic success," Maliki told Obama according to the statement issued by the premier's office.
"I congratulate you on the achievements of your government... I am supportive and committed to preserving the gains the Iraqi government achieved under your leadership," the statement in Arabic quoted Obama as saying.
"We are confident that the power and prestige of the Iraqi government will enable it to succeed in passing legislation that will serve the Iraqi people in economic fields," it also quoted him as saying.
'Assessing security requirements'
This is Obama's second trip to Iraq after a similar tour in January 2006.
The Illinois senator arrived in Basra and met Lieutenant General Lloyd Austin, the number two US commander in Iraq, US officials said.
He overnighted in Kuwait after visiting Kabul, where he pledged to reduce the US presence in Iraq and commit at least two more combat brigades to Afghanistan.
Obama's camp has said the aim of his tour is to assess security requirements and meet Iraq's leaders, whom he has criticised for not doing enough to rebuild.
"Iraq's leaders have failed to invest tens of billions of dollars in oil revenues in rebuilding their own country, and they have not reached the political accommodation that was the stated purpose of the (US troop) surge," Obama wrote on July 14 in The New York Times.
Bush coy on pull-out date
Maliki and US President George W. Bush have agreed to include a "time-horizon" for the withdrawal of US forces in a security pact still being negotiated.
On Monday, the White House again insisted the pact would not include a specific date for a pull-out.
"What it will not do is have any sort date tied to combat troops, like how many American troops would be in Iraq at X date. That would not be included," spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters.
The pact was expected to include an "aspirational date" for Iraqis to control security in all 18 provinces.
Perino later said the pact would be delayed beyond July 31, its target date.
"I don't think that we'll be able to finalise this agreement by next Thursday," she said.
"We are working towards it but it might take a few more days after that."
Obama opposed 'surge'
Obama, who opposed the Iraq war and the 2007 "surge" of US troops, is visiting at a time when violence is at a four-year low -- partly because of the controversial troop surge.
After more than five years at war, and more than 4,100 US troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis killed, Obama said on Sunday it was time to refocus American policy on the region.
"They have sanctuary here," he said of Al-Qaeda in an interview with CBS in Afghanistan, calling for at least two additional brigades, up to 10,000 troops, to be sent there.
"I think one of the biggest mistakes we've made strategically after 9/11 was to fail to finish the job here, focus our attention here. We got distracted by Iraq."
McCain: Obama wrong on surge
On Monday, Republican presidential rival John McCain said the Baghdad visit would show Obama he was wrong to oppose the troop surge.
McCain told NBC television Obama "used his opposition to the surge as a way of gaining the nomination of his party."
"I hope he will have a chance to admit that he badly misjudged the situation and he was wrong when he said that the surge wouldn't work. It has succeeded and we're winning the war," McCain said.
Obama also met US ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker on Monday, and on Tuesday he is set to meet more Iraqi leaders and US troops. He is also due in Jordan and Israel before going to Germany, France and Britain.
Source: AFP
Obama met Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad after arriving on a two-day trip as part of a Congressional delegation.
VIDEO: Obama arrives in Iraq
RELATED: McCain says time is running out for Iran
IN-DEPTH: More on the US election
His visit comes days after he confirmed he would withdraw most of the American troops in Iraq if he is elected president in November.
Maliki briefed Obama on recent progress in achieving security and stability, the statement said.
"Iraq has succeeded in overcoming many difficulties and security challenges. It has achieved victory over al-Qaeda and militias and now aims to achieve economic success," Maliki told Obama according to the statement issued by the premier's office.
"I congratulate you on the achievements of your government... I am supportive and committed to preserving the gains the Iraqi government achieved under your leadership," the statement in Arabic quoted Obama as saying.
"We are confident that the power and prestige of the Iraqi government will enable it to succeed in passing legislation that will serve the Iraqi people in economic fields," it also quoted him as saying.
'Assessing security requirements'
This is Obama's second trip to Iraq after a similar tour in January 2006.
The Illinois senator arrived in Basra and met Lieutenant General Lloyd Austin, the number two US commander in Iraq, US officials said.
He overnighted in Kuwait after visiting Kabul, where he pledged to reduce the US presence in Iraq and commit at least two more combat brigades to Afghanistan.
Obama's camp has said the aim of his tour is to assess security requirements and meet Iraq's leaders, whom he has criticised for not doing enough to rebuild.
"Iraq's leaders have failed to invest tens of billions of dollars in oil revenues in rebuilding their own country, and they have not reached the political accommodation that was the stated purpose of the (US troop) surge," Obama wrote on July 14 in The New York Times.
Bush coy on pull-out date
Maliki and US President George W. Bush have agreed to include a "time-horizon" for the withdrawal of US forces in a security pact still being negotiated.
On Monday, the White House again insisted the pact would not include a specific date for a pull-out.
"What it will not do is have any sort date tied to combat troops, like how many American troops would be in Iraq at X date. That would not be included," spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters.
The pact was expected to include an "aspirational date" for Iraqis to control security in all 18 provinces.
Perino later said the pact would be delayed beyond July 31, its target date.
"I don't think that we'll be able to finalise this agreement by next Thursday," she said.
"We are working towards it but it might take a few more days after that."
Obama opposed 'surge'
Obama, who opposed the Iraq war and the 2007 "surge" of US troops, is visiting at a time when violence is at a four-year low -- partly because of the controversial troop surge.
After more than five years at war, and more than 4,100 US troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis killed, Obama said on Sunday it was time to refocus American policy on the region.
"They have sanctuary here," he said of Al-Qaeda in an interview with CBS in Afghanistan, calling for at least two additional brigades, up to 10,000 troops, to be sent there.
"I think one of the biggest mistakes we've made strategically after 9/11 was to fail to finish the job here, focus our attention here. We got distracted by Iraq."
McCain: Obama wrong on surge
On Monday, Republican presidential rival John McCain said the Baghdad visit would show Obama he was wrong to oppose the troop surge.
McCain told NBC television Obama "used his opposition to the surge as a way of gaining the nomination of his party."
"I hope he will have a chance to admit that he badly misjudged the situation and he was wrong when he said that the surge wouldn't work. It has succeeded and we're winning the war," McCain said.
Obama also met US ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker on Monday, and on Tuesday he is set to meet more Iraqi leaders and US troops. He is also due in Jordan and Israel before going to Germany, France and Britain.
Source: AFP
