Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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July 15, 2008

Obama: US Must End 'Single-Minded' Focus on Iraq 
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1D3D77D:A6F02AD83191E160AAEE036CA0302158B3350E090FE6A6E8&
 
He adds US lacks resources needed in Afghanistan because of commitment
to Iraq 
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama speaks at the Ronald
Reagan International Trade Center in Washington, 15 July 2008Democratic
presidential candidate Barack Obama has delivered a foreign
policy speech in Washington, outlining goals for withdrawing American
troops from Iraq and adding to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.The
Illinois senator said Tuesday the United States lacks the resources
needed in Afghanistan because of the U.S. commitment to Iraq. He
pledged to concentrate on finishing the fight against al-Qaida and the
Taliban and secure all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists
and rogue states.Obama said he wants a national security
strategy that recognizes the U.S. has interests beyond Iraq and does
not put the entire burden of U.S. foreign policy on the men and women
of the military.The speech comes ahead of Obama's visit later this month
to Iraq and Afghanistan.His
Republican rival, Arizona Senator John McCain, is a strong supporter of
the war in Iraq and was an early advocate of a "surge" of additional
U.S. troops there.McCain has released excerpts from his own
speech scheduled for today in New Mexico, in which he criticizes Obama
for drawing up a foreign policy plan before he visits the nations
involved. McCain also has said Obama lacks foreign policy
experience and has alleged that Obama's plan to withdraw combat forces
from Iraq in 16 months amounts to surrender.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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