29th Jun 2008
Obama coming to Europe
The Washington Postreports today that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has announced plans for a midsummer trip that will take him to the Middle East and Europe for firsthand observation and consultations with foreign leaders while providing him an opportunity to bolster his national security credentials for the fall election against Republican John McCain. After the recent no vote south of the border and the less then fantastic presidential visit to the North he might well give the emerald isle a fly pass on this occasion, unless of course he has time for a Shannon stopover.
Obama had said earlier that he would go to Iraq and Afghanistan this summer, as well. No mention was made of those countries in yesterday’s announcement, and campaign officials declined to discuss any aspects of those visits, citing security concerns. He last visited Iraq in January 2006 as part of a congressional delegation.
According to the Post , the foreign tour comes amid questions about whether Obama is at a political disadvantage on national security issues against his Republican rival, who has a long résumé of experience in those subjects both as a former naval officer and from more than two decades in Congress.
Obama has said he is eager to challenge the senator from Arizona and has made clear he is confident that, despite a brief tenure in the Senate, he can draw a favorable contrast with McCain on his command of the issues and the quality of his judgments. Democratic allies also believe the upcoming trip will offer a pointed message that he does not intend to cede foreign policy ground to his rival.
“This trip will be an important opportunity for me to assess the situation in countries that are critical to American national security and to consult with some of our closest friends and allies about the common challenges we face,” Obama said in a statement released by his campaign.
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