BAGHDAD - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama met Iraq’s prime minister on Monday to get a first-hand assessment of security in the country and explain his proposals for troop withdrawals.
His visit thrusts U.S. strategy in Iraq and troop levels to the center of the November election race between the first-term senator from Illinois and Republican candidate John McCain.
Obama has called for the removal of U.S. combat troops within 16 months of taking office should he win the election. There are currently more than 140,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
Iraqiya state television and witnesses said Obama met Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad. There were no further details on Obama’s visit, which has been shrouded in secrecy for security reasons.
His planned stops in the country marked 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.
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