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Barack Obama begins visit to Iraq Obama meets Iraqi PM in Baghdad
(about 5 hours later)
US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has arrived in Iraq on the second stage of a major foreign tour. US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has met the Iraqi prime minister on his first visit to Baghdad as part of a major foreign tour.
Mr Obama, who is visiting as part of a Congressional delegation, will meet senior Iraqi officials, military leaders and US embassy officials. Mr Obama has advocated pulling out US combat troops within 16 months if elected president in November.
They will also meet service personnel and civilian staff working in Iraq. Earlier, in Kabul, Mr Obama said the battle against terrorism had to focus on the situation in Afghanistan.
On Sunday, Mr Obama said during a visit to the Afghan capital, Kabul, that the country had to be the central focus in the battle against terrorism. However, US commanders, and some members of the Iraqi government, are opposed to setting any timetables.
He told the US television channel, CBS, that the situation in the country, where Nato-led troops face a growing insurgency by the Taleban, was "precarious and urgent". Mr Obama held talks with Prime Minister Nouri Maliki shortly after arriving as part of a US Congressional delegation.
Mr Obama has advocated the withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office should he be elected president in November. He is also due to meet President Jalal Talabani as well as the top US military commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, and others.
However, he has said he is prepared to be flexible on details, and to leave some troops behind for special tasks, such as training Iraqi forces and tackling remnants of al-Qaeda in Iraq. While advocating the withdrawal of combat troops, Mr Obama says he is prepared to be flexible on details, and could leave some troops behind for special tasks, such as training Iraqi forces and tackling remnants of the al-Qaeda in Iraq group.
The Illinois senator is visiting a series of countries over the next week in an attempt to bolster his foreign policy and security credentials.The Illinois senator is visiting a series of countries over the next week in an attempt to bolster his foreign policy and security credentials.
He is also due to visit Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and the UK.He is also due to visit Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and the UK.
'Time horizon''Time horizon'
Mr Obama touched down in Iraq along with two of his Senate colleagues, Jack Reed and Chuck Hagel, who along with him have been long-time critics of the US military's involvement in Iraq. No details were immediately available of Mr Obama's talks with Mr Maliki. The two met in Baghdad's heavily-protected Green Zone, the seat of the Iraqi government.
[Mr Obama] is stubbornly adhering to an unconditional withdrawal that places politics above the advice of our military commanders, the success of our troops, and the security of the American people Randy ScheunemannAdviser for John McCain Pitfalls for Obama on world tour [Mr Obama] is stubbornly adhering to an unconditional withdrawal Randy ScheunemannAdviser for John McCain Pitfalls for Obama on world tour
The delegation is expected to meet Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and President Jalal Talabani as well as the top US military commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, and other US officials. Mr Obama is accompanied by two Senate colleagues, Jack Reed and Chuck Hagel, who are long-time critics of the US military's involvement in Iraq.
On Sunday, the Iraqi government denied that Mr Maliki had told a German magazine in an interview that he backed Mr Obama's plan to withdraw combat troops within 16 months, saying his remarks had been misunderstood. Mr Obama wants Iraq to assume principal responsibility for security, according to one of his senior foreign policy advisors, Susan Rice.
"We cannot sustain the current high levels of deployment in Iraq indefinitely... without breaking our military," she told the BBC.
"Nor can we maintain them at high levels in permanent bases with the agreement of the Iraqi government because they've been quite clear that they don't want that."
On Sunday, the Iraqi government denied that Mr Maliki had told a German magazine that he backed Mr Obama's plan to withdraw combat troops within 16 months, saying his remarks had been misunderstood.
Last week, Mr Maliki and US President George W Bush said they had agreed to set a "time horizon" for the withdrawal as part of a security pact still being negotiated.Last week, Mr Maliki and US President George W Bush said they had agreed to set a "time horizon" for the withdrawal as part of a security pact still being negotiated.
Mr Obama came to Iraq after a brief visit to neighbouring Kuwait
Any decision to remove troops would be based on "improving conditions", not an "arbitrary date", the White House said.Any decision to remove troops would be based on "improving conditions", not an "arbitrary date", the White House said.
The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad says the leaders of Iraq's governing coalition are under pressure to show movement towards sovereignty. The BBC's Jim Muir, in Baghdad, says the leaders of Iraq's governing coalition are under pressure to show movement towards sovereignty.
They risk being outflanked in forthcoming provincial elections by more militant elements calling for an immediate withdrawal of foreign forces, such as the group led by the radical Shia cleric, Moqtada Sadr, our correspondent says.They risk being outflanked in forthcoming provincial elections by more militant elements calling for an immediate withdrawal of foreign forces, such as the group led by the radical Shia cleric, Moqtada Sadr, our correspondent says.
Violence in Iraq is at its lowest level since 2004, although frequent attacks continue throughout the country. Some 50 people died in two separate twin suicide bombings last week.Violence in Iraq is at its lowest level since 2004, although frequent attacks continue throughout the country. Some 50 people died in two separate twin suicide bombings last week.
Afghanistan 'focus'Afghanistan 'focus'
Speaking in an interview before he met Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Mr Obama said some of the troops withdrawn from Iraq ought to be sent to Afghanistan to reinforce efforts there against a resurgent Taleban and to control spiralling violence. Speaking before his visit, Mr Obama said some of the troops withdrawn from Iraq ought to be sent to Afghanistan to reinforce efforts there against a resurgent Taleban and to control spiralling violence.
TRUSTED ON MIDDLE EAST Americans with more trust in one candidate than the other to handle the situation involving - Iraq: McCain 47%, Obama 45%Iran: McCain 46%, Obama 44%Israel and the Palestinians: McCain 44%, Obama 42% Source: Washington Post/ABC News, 10-13 July Vote USA 2008: Foreign policyTRUSTED ON MIDDLE EAST Americans with more trust in one candidate than the other to handle the situation involving - Iraq: McCain 47%, Obama 45%Iran: McCain 46%, Obama 44%Israel and the Palestinians: McCain 44%, Obama 42% Source: Washington Post/ABC News, 10-13 July Vote USA 2008: Foreign policy
"We have to understand that the situation is precarious and urgent and I believe this has to be the central focus, the central front, in the battle against terrorism," he told the CBS programme, Face the Nation."We have to understand that the situation is precarious and urgent and I believe this has to be the central focus, the central front, in the battle against terrorism," he told the CBS programme, Face the Nation.
Mr Obama said President Bush's administration had allowed itself to be distracted by a "war of choice" but now was the time to correct the mistake.
He said the US needed to start planning immediately to send in more troops and called for an extra one to two brigades in Afghanistan.He said the US needed to start planning immediately to send in more troops and called for an extra one to two brigades in Afghanistan.
"I think the situation is getting urgent enough that we have got to start doing something now," he added.
Mr Obama's Republican presidential rival, John McCain, has criticised him for announcing a strategy before visiting the region and for setting a date for a US withdrawal from Iraq.Mr Obama's Republican presidential rival, John McCain, has criticised him for announcing a strategy before visiting the region and for setting a date for a US withdrawal from Iraq.
Mr McCain's foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, said Mr Obama was "stubbornly adhering to an unconditional withdrawal that places politics above the advice of our military commanders, the success of our troops, and the security of the American people". Mr McCain's foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, said Mr Obama was "stubbornly adhering to an unconditional withdrawal that places politics above the advice of our military commanders".