Obama urges transfer of troops from Iraq to 'central front'

Published on Sunday 20 July 2008 22:01

BARACK Obama yesterday described the situation in Afghanistan as "precarious and urgent" and pressed for more American troops to be deployed there soon.

The Democratic presidential hopeful met Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, on the second day of a trip meant to bolster his foreign policy credentials.

"We have to understand that the situation is precarious and urgent and I believe this has to be the central focus, the central front, in the battle against terrorism," Mr Obama said.

The senator for Illinois said he believed troop levels needed to be increased and that the US should start planning now for a shift of troops from Iraq to Afghanistan.

"I think the situation is getting urgent enough that we have to start doing something now," he said.

Earlier, Mr Obama discussed the issues of terrorism, corruption and drugs with Mr Karzai.

He has previously criticised Mr Karzai, who has led Afghanistan since the Taleban were toppled in 2001, but said the purpose of his visit was to listen rather than deliver strong messages.

Humayun Hamidzada, Mr Karzai's spokesman, said: "We discussed things at the broad level, we did not discuss in details, but Senator Obama conveyed his commitment to supporting Afghanistan and to continue the war against terrorism with vigour."

Mr Obama is visiting Afghanistan and Iraq as part of an overseas tour that will include stops in Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and Britain.

Meanwhile, his reported choice of venue for a landmark speech in Berlin this week has been criticised by German politicians because of the site's Nazi associations.

Mr Obama is tipped to make his "tough love" speech at the Victory Column – the obelisk crowned with a goddess of victory that marked 19th century Prussian military feats.

But those victories – against Denmark, Austria and France – were seized on by the Nazis and the column became a place of pilgrimage for the regime during the Second World War.

Mr Obama has not confirmed where he will make the speech on Thursday in which he is expected to outline his foreign policy objectives and chastise Germany for not doing more to underwrite the war in Afghanistan.

German media has reported the Victory Column is the venue he has decided on.

"The Victory Column in Berlin was resited by Adolf Hitler and was for him the symbol of German superiority," said Rainer Bruederle, the deputy chairman of the Liberal Party said. "I must question whether Barrack Obama was correctly advised to choose this as a venue for a speech which will set out his vision for world co-operation."