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July 22, 2008

Obama Arrives in Jordan for Talks With King Abdullah 
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1D587F9:A6F02AD83191E1602636CC56BAC506B4A13B8D4F2090AB2B&
 
Earlier Tuesday, US Democratic presidential candidate visited Iraq's
Anbar province, met with Sunni tribal leaders 
U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama has arrived in Jordan after a
two-day visit to Iraq.The Democratic senator is expected to meet with
King Abdullah in the Jordanian capital, Amman, later Tuesday.U.S.
presidential candidate Barack Obama (L) talks with the governor of
Iraq's Anbar province, Maamoun Sami Rashid al-Alwani in Ramadi, west of
Baghdad, Iraq, 22 Jul 2008Earlier, Obama visited Iraq's Anbar province
for meetings with Sunni tribal leaders who helped U.S. forces fight
al-Qaida in Iraq insurgents.On Monday, Obama met with Iraqi Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Baghdad. The Illinois senator released a
statement late Monday saying Iraqis want an "aspirational timeline" for
the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.Senator Obama also said Prime
Minister Maliki stated his hope that "U.S. combat forces could be out of
Iraq in 2010."Obama made the comments in a joint statement with
Republican Senator Chuck Hagel and Democratic Senator Jack Reed, who are
accompanying hi!
 m on the fact-finding mission.The senators acknowledged violence in
Iraq is down significantly, but said political and economic development
continues to lag.Republican U.S. presidential candidate John McCain said
Monday that Obama was wrong to oppose the U.S. troop surge in Iraq that
began last year. Senator McCain said the United States is winning the
war in Iraq and more troops will be able to come home as conditions
improve.After his talks in Jordan, Obama is expected to travel to the
West Bank. He will also visit the southern Israeli border town of
Sderot, which has become the frequent target of rocket attacks by
Palestinian militants. He will meet with leaders on both sides,
including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert.

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


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