Region | Iraq
Obama arrives in Baghdad to meet with US troops
Barack Obama has begun his first on-the-ground inspection of Iraq since launching his bid for the White House - with US commanders ready to brief him on progress in a war he long opposed and Iraqi leaders wanting more details of his proposals for troop withdrawals.
- Agencies
- Published: 09:30 July 21, 2008
- Image Credit: AP
- In this photo released by the Iraqi Government, U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama, left, shakes hands with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad.
Baghdad: Barack Obama has begun his first on-the-ground inspection of Iraq since launching his bid for the White House - with US commanders ready to brief him on progress in a war he long opposed and Iraqi leaders wanting more details of his proposals for troop withdrawals.
His stop in Baghdad is the second major leg of a war zone tour that opened in Afghanistan. The contrasts in tone and message were distinct.
Obama sees the battle against the resurgent Taliban and Al Qaida in Afghanistan as America's most crucial fight and supports expanding troop strength to counter a sharp rise in attacks.
But Obama had stood against the Iraq invasion and now worries that an open-ended US combat mission will sap military resources and focus - at a time when Iraq violence has dropped to its lowest level in four years.
News Editor's choice
-
Ukraine leaders fight over Russian language
Violence erupts in Ukraine parliament over a bill to allow use of Russian language in courts, hospitals
-
CBSE: 100% success in many UAE schools
6,000 students from 53 schools meet grade expectations in examinations
-
'I can’t believe he is not going to come back'
Seventeen-year-old boy went missing in Dubai during a visit from Pakistan
