One day after Senator John McCain met with Iraq's foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari , Mr. Obama spoke to Mr. Zebari by telephone. Mr. Obama said he was “encouraged” by reductions in violence in Iraq, but added that the United States should withdraw troops at a pace of one to two brigades a month, with a goal of removing most combat troops in 16 months.
“We have no interest in permanent bases in Iraq,” Mr. Obama said.
Among the issues being discussed between Mr. Zebari and the presidential candidates is a long-term security accord between Iraq and the United States. While the Bush administration would like to see an agreement reached by midsummer, Mr. Obama said he opposed such a swift timetable.
“My concern is that the Bush administration, in a weakened state politically, ends up trying to rush an agreement that in some ways might be binding to the next administration,” Mr. Obama said, “whether it's my administration or Senator McCain's administration.”
Mr. Obama , who has not been to Iraq for more than two years, said last month that he would like to visit. After speaking to Mr. Zebari , he sounded more definitive, saying, “I told him that I look forward to seeing him in Baghdad.”
Mr. McCain has invited Mr. Obama to take a joint trip to Iraq, a gesture that Mr. Obama dismissed as a political stunt. Alex Conant, a Republican Party spokesman, said it had been nearly 900 days since Mr. Obama visited, in January 2006.
Mr. Obama did not say Monday when he would be going, but said it would be “before the election.”
JEFF ZELENY
Edition: Late Edition - Final
Section: National Desk
Page: 19
Page Column: 0
Page Subsection: A
Column: TRAVEL PLANS
Record Number: 2008-06-17-320854
If true, that was an issue he should have dealt with using the US polital system - NOT by pressuring the Iraq government to reject Bush's proposals.