September 11, 2008

Foreign Policy Focus: McCain and Obama

The 2008 presidential campaign began with one key foreign policy issue – Iraq.  The Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama, was seen by Democratic activist voters in the primaries and caucuses as being the most anti-war of the candidates.  This certainly was a key to his eventual success over Senator Hillary Clinton, who was not seen as being as anti-war in her views.  Obama could rightly say he was against American involvement in Iraq even before he became a United States Senator.  He has been for a timetable to bring U.S. troops home since becoming the junior senator from Illinois.  On his trip this summer to Iraq he seemed to have the president of Iraq agree with his timetable for withdrawal.

Iraq was also a large issue in helping Senator John McCain win the Republican nomination for president.  The senator from Arizona has been outspoken in his views on Iraq, which are almost the exact opposite of his Democratic opponent.  McCain calls for victory in Iraq before American troops can leave.  The former fighter pilot in the Vietnam War has been a champion of the troop surge of American soldiers that most analysts feel has helped change the military situation on the ground more favorably for the Iraqis and the Americans. 

However, something strange has happened on the road to the general election...