Obama tours afghanistan and iraq

US Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama has begun a firsthand look at the two war zones he may find himself in charge of, should he win November's election.

At the end of a two-day visit to Afghanistan, Senator Obama described the situation there as precarious and urgent. Both Senator Obama and his Republican rival John McCain agree that almost seven years after the US stopped the Taliban, more American troops need to be sent in.

Presenter: Kim Landers
Speakers: Barack Obama, US Democratic Presidential Canididate; Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary Of State; Admiral Mike Mullen, America's Top Military Adviser

KIM LANDERS: With porridge and scrambled eggs piled on his plate, Barack Obama has had breakfast with US troops in Afghanistan's capital Kabul.

It's his first trip to Afghanistan and while he's made very few public comments, he has started to do a string of television interviews.

BARACK OBAMA: The situation is precarious and urgent here in Afghanistan and I believe this has to be our central focus, the central front on our battle against terrorism.

KIM LANDERS: Barack Obama is calling for an extra seven 7,000 US troops to be sent to Afghanistan and he says planning for that should start now.

BARACK OBAMA: If we wait until the next administration it could be a year before we get those additional troops on the ground here in Afghanistan and I think that will be a mistake. I think the situation is getting urgent enough that we have got to start doing something now.

KIM LANDERS: Senator Obama has also had a two hour meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

The President's chief spokesman says counter-terrorism and the narcotics trade were among the topics discussed; and that Senator Obama has conveyed his commitment to continue the war against terrorism "with vigour".

The deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan is being blamed on insurgents crossing the border with Pakistan. Barack Obama is urging the Government in Pakistan to do more to tackle that problem.

It's something that he and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice agree on.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE: More has to be done to stabilise that border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. More has to be done.

KIM LANDERS: Barack Obama's next stop is expected to be Iraq.

His arrival will come just days after the US and Iraqi leaders agreed to what's being called a "time horizon" for the withdrawal of American combat forces.

America's top military adviser, Admiral Mike Mullen, says the time horizon does not have a date or a goal attached to it.

MIKE MULLEN: This right now doesn't speak to either timelines or timetables, based on my understanding of where we are.

KIM LANDERS: Barack Obama says the Bush administration has been distracted by Iraq and he wants to pull American forces out of that country within 16 months, if he wins the election.

Admiral Mullen doesn't think that's a very good idea.

MIKE MULLEN: I think the consequences could be very dangerous in that regard, I'd worry about any kind of rapid movement out and creating an instability where we have stability.

KIM LANDERS: Meanwhile there's been confusion about whether the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has endorsed Barack Obama's troop withdrawal plan.

A German magazine says the Prime Minister has supported Senator Obama's proposal calling it quote "the right time-frame" but a spokesman for Nouri al-Maliki says his remarks were translated incorrectly.
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Do you think Obama's message of urgency to the current administration comes from posturing as a presidential candidate, or from true concern about the situation in Afganistan?

Do you think the U.S. should proceed with Obama's proposed time-line regarding Iraq?

Do you think we have "stability" in Iraq, as Mike Mullin stated in the article?
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