Obama To Visit Iraq, Afghanistan Before Election

FLINT, Mich. — Barack Obama says he is going to visit Iraq and Afghanistan before the November election.

The presumed Democratic presidential nominee said he spoke with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on Monday about the war and told him he looks forward to seeing him in Baghdad.

Obama has said before he was considering a trip, but his comment to reporters Monday was his first firm declaration that he will be making the trip. He said more details will be announced shortly.

He said he told Zebari that he was encouraged by the reductions of violence in Iraq, but that as president he will carefully move to end U.S. combat operations in Iraq.

Comments

[EuroPreacher]

08:30 AM on 06/17/2008

I don't think it is wise enough to give into the GOP pressure by going to lawless places under the GOP administration and full of crazy people reday to blow themselves up;the puppet goverment of Iraq surely doensn't want accountability that an Obama presidency will bring,they love the GWB way of asking nothing from them.

Why not a trip to more civilized places like Europe , Africa ,Japan etc where Obama is highly popular?

[EuroPreacher]

09:08 AM on 06/17/2008

should be "ready to blow"

[debrouillard]

08:20 AM on 06/17/2008

I am worried about him going to places like those.Thats where he can easily be targeted by the officials themself and if the succeed(God forbid) they will claim it was an accident he was in a war zone. I hope he doesnt leave is armoured car or a secure building. He can always come back and say the situation is only worsening.

[thoughtsoutloud]

06:12 AM on 06/17/2008

Very appropriate trip for a candidate to make. Soldiers are also voters.

I do hope this means a European jaunt will wait til after the election!

Be safe Mr. Obama!

[olivia]

01:02 AM on 06/17/2008

I think this is a terrible idea.

I worry after his safety.

[JackND]

08:45 PM on 06/16/2008

He should make cameo appearances in a handful of European cities as well.

[XME]

07:50 PM on 06/16/2008

I think this is a great idea. It will be good to have images and footage of him there, interacting with soldiers, who will probably love him for the most part, looking presidential, etc. Should help to shore-up those who doubt him in that area...as long he doesn't put on a helmet or ride in a tank!

[Hagrid]

07:12 PM on 06/16/2008

He should drop by Israel and maybe Jordan as well.

Making friends for all the world to see.

[margotb822]

06:06 PM on 06/16/2008

This is BS. McCain is trying to make people believe there is a precedent when there is none. What candidates visited either front during WWII? What candidates visited Vietnam? Being Commander in Chief does not make you a military strategist. Being CIC empowers a person to employ capable, trustworthy subordinates. The problem with Iraq (of the many), is that political loyalty is valued over competence. No candidate gains anything from being in Iraq for three days, surrounded by security forces and visiting the "Potemkin villages."

[WasteNJ]

06:03 PM on 06/16/2008

I agree with taking Shinseki, I don't think Powell is a bad choice either, maybe Biden.

..Surrounded by a couple dozen guys from SEAL Team 6.

GO! GO! GO!

[kawika]

06:08 PM on 06/16/2008

Biden has little control of the Military budget.

[kawika]

05:33 PM on 06/16/2008

I would suggest Obama take the following with him to Iraq:
Powell
Shinseki
Inouye

Powell was among the few in this administration that got Iraq right (if you break it you own it). He gave advice to Bush I, Clinton and Bush II. He was loyal to all three and left when it was no longer tenable.
Shinseki rightfully disagreed with the Neocons and was shown the door.
Inouye voted against the Iraq Invasion and is the head of the Defense Appropriation Committee.

The Delegation would be made up of the Following:
2 Democrats- Obama-Inouye
1 Non Affiliated - Shinseki
1 Repulican - Powell
If Obama truly wants an informed view, this delegation would help.

[kawika]

05:50 PM on 06/16/2008

Sorry for the double post.

[kawika]

05:30 PM on 06/16/2008

I would suggest Obama take the following Delegtion with him, Shinseki, Inouye and Powell.
Why?
Powell was among the few in this administration that got Iraq right (if you break it you own it). He gave advice to Bush I, Clinton and Bush II. He was loyal to all three and left when it was no longer tenable.
Shinseki rightfully disagreed with the Neocons and was shown the door.
Inouye voted against the Iraq Invasion and is the head of the Defense Appropriation Committee.
And of course , Shinseki and Inouye are from Hawaii.

The Delegation would be made up of the Following:
2 Democrats- Obama-Inouye
1 Non Affiliated - Shinseki
1 Repulican - Powell
If Obama truly wants an informed view, this delegation would help.

[XME]

07:44 PM on 06/16/2008

Not a bad idea...and certainly better than Lieberman following him around!

[editrix66]

05:28 PM on 06/16/2008

Please just be safe and hurry back.

[ClydeSloppers]

05:20 PM on 06/16/2008

Afraid to debate McCain one on one, afraid to go to Iraq. What's up with that.

[pacats]

06:56 PM on 06/16/2008

Obama cowers to no one. McCains weekly annoucement of an invitation for Obama to show up for a town hall meeting, makes him appear forgetful. An agreed upon schedule for debates and town hall meetings is in the making.

[pacats]

07:05 PM on 06/16/2008

should be "announcement".

[EuroPreacher]

09:14 AM on 06/17/2008

I didn't know that McCain needed anybody else to debate with since he has been holding conflicting views on almost any policy matter...McCain flip-flop so much that he is a moving debate just by himself;"will the real John McCain please stand up?!"

[JCTaylor]

05:19 PM on 06/16/2008

Sad to say but its about time. Obama cannot plan to lead the nation if he does not fully grasp the situation on the ground in the countries where we have troops deployed. Hopefully the violence will continue dropping. The news today of maliki going after the last of Mookies strongholds is very, VERY encouraging.

[JiminNC]

05:16 PM on 06/16/2008

McQuote--->"I ask him to request a meeting with General Petraeus and sit down and get his assessment of the military situation," McCain said. "I don't know how you can draw conclusions such as Senator Obama has without even sitting down and talking directly to our commander on the ground."

Is this a suggestion by Mr. McCain that Petraeus will tell Obama something new and different than he told him before the Senate? Does McMemorex even recall that Petraeus appeared before the Senate recently and answered questions for a couple of days?

[margotb822]

06:07 PM on 06/16/2008

Does he remember anything? Ever?