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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Obama vows to end US role in Iraq | Obama vows to end US role in Iraq |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Barack Obama, the Democratic contender for the US presidency, has said his main priority as US president will be to end the US involvement in Iraq. | Barack Obama, the Democratic contender for the US presidency, has said his main priority as US president will be to end the US involvement in Iraq. |
| In a foreign policy speech, Senator Obama said "our single-minded and open-ended focus on Iraq is not a sound strategy for keeping America safe". | In a foreign policy speech, Senator Obama said "our single-minded and open-ended focus on Iraq is not a sound strategy for keeping America safe". |
| His second priority would be to take the war to al-Qaeda and the Taleban in Afghanistan and Pakistan. | His second priority would be to take the war to al-Qaeda and the Taleban in Afghanistan and Pakistan. |
| His Republican rival accused Mr Obama of contradicting himself over Iraq. | His Republican rival accused Mr Obama of contradicting himself over Iraq. |
| John McCain said the US "surge" of Iraqi troops in Iraq was working - and he knew "how to win wars". | John McCain said the US "surge" of Iraqi troops in Iraq was working - and he knew "how to win wars". |
| He said he would bring al-Qaeda's leader, Osama Bin Laden, to justice. | |
| Earlier, President George W Bush rejected any "artificial" timetable for withdrawing US troops, saying a decision must be made "as conditions permit". | Earlier, President George W Bush rejected any "artificial" timetable for withdrawing US troops, saying a decision must be made "as conditions permit". |
| Mr Obama's speech comes ahead of a tour that will include Iraq and Afghanistan, the dates of which have not been disclosed for security reasons. | Mr Obama's speech comes ahead of a tour that will include Iraq and Afghanistan, the dates of which have not been disclosed for security reasons. |
| 'Unacceptable' | 'Unacceptable' |
| In the speech at the International Trade Center in Washington, Mr Obama said: "This war diminishes our security, our standing in the world, our military, our economy, and the resources that we need to confront the challenges of the 21st Century." | In the speech at the International Trade Center in Washington, Mr Obama said: "This war diminishes our security, our standing in the world, our military, our economy, and the resources that we need to confront the challenges of the 21st Century." |
| Al-Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan that is probably no farther from their old Afghan sanctuary than a train ride from Washington to Philadelphia Excerpt from Barack Obama speech | Al-Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan that is probably no farther from their old Afghan sanctuary than a train ride from Washington to Philadelphia Excerpt from Barack Obama speech |
| He said the conflict in Iraq must be brought to an end as "the central front in the war on terror is not Iraq, and it never was". | He said the conflict in Iraq must be brought to an end as "the central front in the war on terror is not Iraq, and it never was". |
| Mr Obama said that as president he would take the US in a new direction, and his priority would be to finish the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taleban. | Mr Obama said that as president he would take the US in a new direction, and his priority would be to finish the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taleban. |
| He said that the situation in Afghanistan had deteriorated to such an extent that the Taleban were able to launch a brazen attack on one of America's own bases there. | He said that the situation in Afghanistan had deteriorated to such an extent that the Taleban were able to launch a brazen attack on one of America's own bases there. |
| Mr Obama said a withdrawal of US forces from Iraq would allow much needed reinforcements to be sent to Afghanistan. | Mr Obama said a withdrawal of US forces from Iraq would allow much needed reinforcements to be sent to Afghanistan. |
| He said sustained co-operation was needed between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nato to root out al-Qaeda and the Taleban. | He said sustained co-operation was needed between Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nato to root out al-Qaeda and the Taleban. |
| "It is unacceptable that almost seven years after nearly 3,000 Americans were killed on our soil, the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 are still at large," he said. | "It is unacceptable that almost seven years after nearly 3,000 Americans were killed on our soil, the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 are still at large," he said. |
| "Osama Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahari are recording messages to their followers and plotting more terror. The Taliban controls parts of Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan that is probably no farther from their old Afghan sanctuary than a train ride from Washington to Philadelphia." | "Osama Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahari are recording messages to their followers and plotting more terror. The Taliban controls parts of Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan that is probably no farther from their old Afghan sanctuary than a train ride from Washington to Philadelphia." |
| "And yet today, we have five times more troops in Iraq than Afghanistan." | "And yet today, we have five times more troops in Iraq than Afghanistan." |
On other issues, Mr Obama made the following pledges:
| On other issues, Mr Obama made the following pledges:
|
| Timetable for withdrawal | Timetable for withdrawal |
| BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the war over the war in Iraq is moving into high gear. | BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says the war over the war in Iraq is moving into high gear. |
| The essential difference between Mr Obama and his Republican rival, John McCain, is that the Illinois senator wants to set a clear timetable for a withdrawal from Iraq - some 16 months - while Mr McCain insists that the situation on the ground, not timetables, must govern the pace of any withdrawal, our correspondent says. | The essential difference between Mr Obama and his Republican rival, John McCain, is that the Illinois senator wants to set a clear timetable for a withdrawal from Iraq - some 16 months - while Mr McCain insists that the situation on the ground, not timetables, must govern the pace of any withdrawal, our correspondent says. |
| It is not just a political argument, he adds - it has a huge bearing on the signals that the next US president will send to the Middle East and at root it is a test of their capacity to be Commander-in-Chief. | It is not just a political argument, he adds - it has a huge bearing on the signals that the next US president will send to the Middle East and at root it is a test of their capacity to be Commander-in-Chief. |
| Opinion polls suggest that Americans remain deeply divided on the best strategy in Iraq, with almost equal proportions opting for a clear timetable or for no timetable for a withdrawal. | Opinion polls suggest that Americans remain deeply divided on the best strategy in Iraq, with almost equal proportions opting for a clear timetable or for no timetable for a withdrawal. |
| Mr Obama may not necessarily need to win this argument outright, our correspondent says, but in setting out his foreign policy stall he needs to show that he has credible, concrete positions that make sense of a complex world. | Mr Obama may not necessarily need to win this argument outright, our correspondent says, but in setting out his foreign policy stall he needs to show that he has credible, concrete positions that make sense of a complex world. |