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Democratic White House candidate Barack Obama arrived in Iraq Monday on a fact-finding tour, days after confirming plans to withdraw US troops from Iraq in 16 months if he takes office next year. "Senator Barack Obama arrived in Iraq this morning as part of a Congressional delegation, along with Senators Jack Reed and Chuck Hagel," embassy spokesman Armand Cucciniello said. "The senators have a busy day ahead of them, as they meet with senior Iraqi officials, Coalition leadership and officials from the US embassy. They will also meet with constituent service members and civilian staff working in Iraq." Obama flew...

Kuwait : His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday received at his Dar Salwa residence, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Deputy Chief of the National Guards Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. The aim of the gathering of these senior officials was to welcome visiting US Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama, who attended the meeting with US Ambassador to Kuwait Deborah Jones, Rhode Island State Senator Jack Reed, and Nebraska State Senator Chuck Hagel. Discussions were conducted between the...

..and of course, they're shilling for Obama.Remember this: there is NOTHING that the left won't do for power. Clearly, there are things that some individuals who consider themselves to be on the left won't do—that goes without saying. But as an aggregate ideological phenomenon, they will do what it takes. And, as you can see, it is very much an international phenomenon. The left abroad love Obama. The media abroad, who are usually as much (or more) to the left as our own, love Obama.And now, Der Spiegel is fibricating™ a new reality for Obama. The update to this Hot...

“The Appalachian voting bloc will be critical in the … 2008 presidential election,” former Democratic National Committee executive director Mark Siegel says. Yet his broad statement comes with its own geopolitical caveat: location. “It all depends on what part of Appalachia you are talking about,” says Siegel. “If they live in Pennsylvania and Ohio, then, yes, without a doubt they are the key voters. If they live in West Virginia, then no, because for the Democrats that is not a state that is in play.” Appalachia is not a single state but a region that has its own unique frame...

Here are some questions he SHOULD be asked!So the anointed savior of the American left is busy on his world tour this weekend, having already visited Kuwait and Afghanistan. Along for the ride are some of the leading lights of the American “news” media.Before the acolytes of the anointed one boarded the plane with Obama representatives of John McCain’s campaign handed reporters a briefing book, complete with Obama’s faux presidential seal and containing 17 pages of suggested questions reporters who were truly interested in serving the public good as opposed to a liberal political agenda might want to ask.Marc Ambinder...

This advertisement for Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, was introduced on Friday and is running on national cable networks and on television stations in 11 battleground states, including Pennsylvania and Ohio. PRODUCER McCain Media TeamTHE SCRIPT A man announces, “Barack Obama never held a single Senate hearing on Afghanistan. He hasn’t been to Iraq in years, he voted against funding our troops — positions that helped him win his nomination. Now Obama is changing to help himself become president. John McCain has always supported our troops and the surge that’s working. McCain: Country first.” Mr. McCain says, “I’m John...

US Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama has arrived in Afghanistan, at the start of a high-profile international tour. Mr Obama, who flew to Kabul as part of a US congressional team, is expected to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai. He is later expected to visit Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and Britain. Correspondents say Mr Obama is hoping to address security issues, seen as the weakest aspect of his presidential bid. Opinion polls suggest Americans regard Republican John McCain as a better potential commander-in-chief. After landing in Kabul, Mr Obama flew by helicopter to the east of the country where...

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 19 -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama arrived in the Afghan capital Saturday for a two-day visit to the war-torn country as the debate over the U.S.-led military mission here moves to center stage in the U.S. election. Obama arrived at Kabul International Airport on Saturday morning, but his itinerary was closely guarded for security reasons amid a surge in Taliban activity in recent weeks. Afghan and U.S. officials in Kabul confirmed that the Illinois senator was part of a congressional delegation visiting the country. But most declined to discuss whom he was scheduled to meet, with...

Obama visits Afghanistan Obama received a military briefing at the Bagram air base after his arrival [AFP] Barack Obama, the US Democratic presidential candidate, has begun a visit to Afghanistan, attending a military briefing at Bagram airport before travelling to a base in the east of the country. The visit on Saturday was the Illinois senator's second stop on an international tour aimed at boosting his foreign policy credentials during his campaign to become the US's first black president. At the Bagram base, north of the capital Kabul, military leaders told Obama, and the other senators travelling with him, about efforts...

SNIP Mr. Obama touched down in Kabul about noon, according to a statement released by his aides. His trip has been cloaked in secrecy, which advisers said was due to security concerns set forth by the Secret Service. SNIP The governor of Nangarhar province, Gul Agha Shirzai, a burly former mujahedeen commander with a brutal past but who is favored by the United States as someone who gets things done, was the only Afghan official to meet Senator Obama and Senators Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska, and Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, at Jalalabad airfield along with the United...

Brack Obama launched his week-long world tour with a brief stop in Kuwait and then began a longer visit to Afghanistan, ahead of planned stops in Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and England. The highly anticipated trip was launched in secrecy, with Obama’s campaign refusing to confirm that he had left the country, citing security reasons. The campaign announced early Saturday morning that Obama was on the ground in Kabul, Afghanistan. The U.S. military later said Obama was greeting U.S. troops at Jalalabad airfield in eastern Afghanistan. Obama made a secret stop in Kuwait and visited U.S. service members, then...

A sizable minority of voters (43%) say that Barack Obama would be not tough enough in dealing with foreign policy and national security issues as president, the same number of voters that say Obama's foreign policy would be about right (43%). By contrast, a narrow majority (51%) say that John McCain's approach to security issues would be about right; only 16% say he would not be tough enough. A quarter say McCain would be too tough. The confidence in McCain's foreign policy is reflected in the fact that while public opinion is negative on Iraq, more voters favor McCain (46%)...

B. Hussein Obama has come and gone on his visit to Jalalabad Air Field in eastern Afghanistan. He landed about 1515 local and was gone by 1800, which is more than enough time for any Democrat to check the Natioanl Defense box, and he is now just as qualified as John McCain to speak on all matters related to Operation Enduring Freedom. During his visit he toured the Task Force (TF) Bayonet 173rd Brigade (Sky Soldiers!) Headquarters and Tactical Operations Center (TOC). Well, that's the big news from the front line fellow FReepers. Keep up the fight at home and...