Travels With Presidential Candidate Barack Obama

U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. Commander in Iraq, chats with U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) after a briefing to a congressional delegation in Baghdad July 21, 2008. Obama met with Iraqi leaders and U.S. military commanders in a visit overshadowed by the question of when U.S. troops should go home. REUTERS/Lorie Jewell/Multi-National Forces Iraq Public Affairs/Handout (IRAQ).

From Yahoo News:

Obama visits Iraq, focus on U.S. troop levels

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama met Iraqi leaders and U.S. military commanders in Baghdad on Monday in a visit overshadowed by the question of when U.S. troops should go home.

U.S. strategy in Iraq and troop levels are central issues in the November election race between the first-term senator from Illinois and Republican candidate John McCain.

Obama, who has made his opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq five years ago a centerpiece of his campaign, was in Baghdad to assess security in Iraq, where violence has fallen to its lowest level since early 2004.

Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Obama did not mention his pledge to remove U.S. combat troops within 16 months if he takes office in talks with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Read more ....

BARACK OBAMA IN IRAQ

Obama visits Basra and Baghdad -- International Herald Tribune
After Touring a Safer Iraq, Obama Still Balks at Troop Surge -- ABC News
Obama's Balancing Act Abroad -- CBS
Obama and Petraeus Get Aerial Tour of Baghdad -- Time Magazine
Obama begins firsthand look at Baghdad -- Breitbart
Obama Begins Firsthand Look at Baghdad -- ABC
Obama's Drive-By Visit: The Iraqi View -- Time Magazine
A Change Is a Coming... Obama Swoops Into Baghdad -- Gateway Pundit
Controversy and consensus await Barak Obama on second visit to Iraq -- Times Online
Obama lands in Baghdad to meet Iraqi prime minister -- Guardian
Iraq appears to share Obama's pullout hope -- MSNBC
Backing for Barack: Obama's troop-cut policy gets support from the Iraqi government -- Newsweek
Iraqi backing of Obama plan irks White House -- MSNBC
Leaving Iraq: Debate Shifts to When - Michael Scherer, Time
Maliki Delivers a Body-Blow to McCain - Byron York, National Review
Obama's Iraq Spotlight - Robert Novak, Chicago Sun-Times
No Downside to Obama's Trip - Noam Scheiber, The New Republic
The Democrats' Baghdad Two-Step - Rep. Peter Hoekstra, Washington Post
The Real Cost of Staying the Course - John Bruhns, Philly Daily News
Hoping Obama Makes the Case for Victory - Bill Kristol, New York Times
Iraqi Government Wants US out by 2010 -- American Thinker
Ignore The Media: Al-Maliki Did Not Embrace Obama's Withdrawal Plan -- American Thinker
Opinion: In Iraq, and Under the Spotlight -- Washington Post
Iraqis say they like Obama, divided on his policies -- Reuters

BARACK OBAMA IN AFGHANISTAN

Afghanistan moves back to centre-stage -- Financial Times
Obama calls situation in Afghanistan 'urgent' -- CNN
Obama Sees Afghan Crisis -- National Post
Barack Obama calls for plans to withdraw troops from Iraq to Afghanistan -- The Telegraph
Obama pledges aid, military support to Afghanistan -- Boston.com
US will strike al-Qaeda targets in Pak if it gets info: Obama -- Economic Times India
Obama calls for more focus on 'precarious' Afghanistan -- AFP
Obama, Karzai Share a 'Working Lunch' -- Washington Post
Obama meets Afghan president Karzai -- Yahoo News
Barack Obama Meets Afghan President Hamid Karzai -- ABC News
Obama talks terrorism and drugs with Karzai -- Yahoo News
Opinion: Obama's Wrong Turn in Afghanistan -- The Nation
Opinion: Obama, Afghanistan, Politics and Promises -- Buzz Flash

My Comment: I originally was skeptical on this "fact-finding" trip. But this trip has crystallized a few things.
1) Iraq has clearly improved its security condition in the past two years. The fact that Barack Obama can fly from one end of the country to another must be very demoralizing for opponents of the U.S. and Iraq's Central Government.
2) Afghanistan is going the wrong direction. A new strategy will now be necessary to confront the Taliban and to assist the people of Afghanistan.
3) Barack Obama has shown that he can engage on the International scene .... this will have an impact on his critics.
4) Hillary Clinton who? This trip has put the final nail into her coffin.
5) John McCain who? He is not in the news.
6) Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Maliki knows how to play American Presidential politics. He has given Barack Obama a huge boost in his Presidential campaign. By being "wishy-washy" in his endorsement of a 16 month timetable for withdrawl .... he has given a lot of meat for Barack Obama's supporters to now say that Iraq is supporting Obama's strategy.
7) Barack Obama is moving and influencing American foreign policy now. Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Maliki knows this. Karzai from Afghanistan knows this. The U.S. media are hoping that this is the case. The U.S. public may not have made up their minds ..... but many of them are now listening.