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Obama opens foreign tour in Kabul
BBC News ^ | July 19, 2008

Posted on 07/19/2008 8:16:33 AM PDT by Schnucki

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 he was to visit troops, a US military spokesman said.

The area has seen an upsurge in fighting with pro-Taleban rebels in recent months, notably along the border with Pakistan.

Last Sunday, nine US soldiers were killed after a Taleban attack on a remote military outpost in the area.

In a speech earlier this week, Mr Obama promised to commit at least two more combat brigades - up to 10,000 men - to Afghanistan, if he wins November's election.

He also said the US military should focus on that country rather than Iraq.

'One president at a time'

Asked what message he would convey to Afghan and Iraqi leaders, Mr Obama said: "I'm more interested in listening than doing a lot of talking."

Speaking to reporters before leaving, he added: "I'm going over there as a US senator. We have one president at a time, so it's the president's job to deliver those messages."

Mr Obama also said he would talk to commanders both in Afghanistan and Iraq to find out about their concerns.

This BBC's Martin Patience in Kabul says the visit is widely seen as an attempt by the Democratic hopeful to strengthen his security credentials.

He will be accompanied by news anchors from America's major television networks during his foreign tour.

Correspondents say the McCain campaign will seize on every perceived misstep during Mr Obama's trip, and will also point out that Mr McCain's earlier visits to Iraq and elsewhere attracted far less public attention.

In his own foreign policy speech, the Republican candidate said Mr Obama's strategy of winning in Afghanistan by pulling out of Iraq "has it exactly backwards".

"It is precisely the success of the surge in Iraq that shows us the way to succeed in Afghanistan," he said on Tuesday.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; afghanistan; foreignpolicy; obama; obamavisit; obamawarzonetour; propagandawingofdnc
Asked what message he would convey to Afghan and Iraqi leaders, Mr Obama said: "I'm more interested in listening than doing a lot of talking."
1 posted on 07/19/2008 8:16:33 AM PDT by Schnucki
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To: Schnucki

“at the start of a high-profile international tour.”

It’s high profile because the Obama campaign and his friends in the media are making it as high-profile as possible.

Do these people realize how silly they look? One contrived trip overseas is supposed to make Obama a foreign policy expert.


2 posted on 07/19/2008 8:25:08 AM PDT by popdonnelly (Boycott Washington D.C. until they allow gun ownership)
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To: Schnucki

Sometimes I listen to myself, he said. It’s like the tree in the forest. :0


3 posted on 07/19/2008 8:25:22 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
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To: Schnucki; Bender2; Lil'freeper

"The Magical Mystery Tour is waiting to take you away. Waiting to take you away, take you today..."

4 posted on 07/19/2008 8:34:23 AM PDT by big'ol_freeper ("Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary use words". ~ St. Francis of Assisi)
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To: Schnucki
Contrary to what lil dick morris says, I predict this trip will be a wash. Nobody who isn't voting for barack mcgovern already will be impressed with what the ash holes euro trash have to say, and his stop in Israel will don't nothing but show how stupid he thinks Jews are. He is doing an amazingly low 57% with Jews now. That number will sink even further after this insulting double talk trip. Wait until someone asks him about partictioning Jerusalem and he gives some empty bull shiite answer. Yeah that will fool the Jews, sure it will.
5 posted on 07/19/2008 8:41:14 AM PDT by jmaroneps37 (Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
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To: popdonnelly
“at the start of a high-profile international campaign tour.”

Just thought I's clear it up a bit.

6 posted on 07/19/2008 8:41:20 AM PDT by tbpiper (NObama '08 - Unfit in any color)
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To: Schnucki

Obama spent a whopping 2hr and 45 min. in Afghanistan before flying out. That’s leadership!


7 posted on 07/19/2008 8:50:58 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Black dogs and bacon bombs.)
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To: Schnucki

he only spent 3 hours in Afghanistan.


8 posted on 07/19/2008 9:34:47 AM PDT by television is just wrong
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To: television is just wrong

“he only spent 3 hours in Afghanistan.”

It sounds like he is overnighting there. He was in Jalalabad for only 3 hours.


9 posted on 07/19/2008 11:10:02 AM PDT by cw35
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To: Schnucki; kristinn; Squantos; SandRat; Captain Shamrock; NormsRevenge; elhombrelibre; Allegra; ...

Mr Obama addressed US troops in northern Afghanistan

Where did he do that?

10 posted on 07/19/2008 12:32:22 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

What’s he talking about in this picture? No warm friendly smiling faces in that crowd.


11 posted on 07/19/2008 12:34:02 PM PDT by K-oneTexas (I'm not a judge and there ain't enough of me to be a jury. (Zell Miller, A National Party No More))
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To: cw35; television is just wrong; Rebelbase
He is in Afghanistan for two days...see this FR Thread:

Obama Begins Two-Day Visit to Afghanistan

12 posted on 07/19/2008 12:35:05 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach; All

Photo maybe from Kuwait....


13 posted on 07/19/2008 1:51:00 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: K-oneTexas
See above ...and this thread:

Barack Obama addresses troops in Afghanistan

Althought the data with the photo seems to indicate Kuwait....

14 posted on 07/19/2008 1:54:54 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Mr Obama addressed US troops in northern Afghanistan

Where did he do that?

IN KUWAIT!

15 posted on 07/19/2008 4:35:22 PM PDT by Fred Nerks (fair dinkum!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
He also said the US military should focus on that country rather than Iraq.

File photo shows US President George W. Bush (right) shaking hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in New York. US President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki have agreed to set a "time horizon" for US troop withdrawals as part of a long-term security pact (AFP/File/Jim Watson)

Iraq's Sunni Arab bloc rejoins government (They're BAack!!)link.

16 posted on 07/19/2008 5:07:53 PM PDT by Fred Nerks (fair dinkum!)
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To: Fred Nerks; K-oneTexas; Schnucki; popdonnelly; jmaroneps37; Rebelbase
Thanks,...and the European Press is breathless:

Obama takes his White House campaign to the battlefields,/b>

Of course many of the photos are not with troops on the Afghanistan battlefront....though the Leftist press would like us to believe they are....

17 posted on 07/19/2008 5:16:10 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
Obama takes his White House campaign to the battlefields

Jason Burke The Observer, Sunday July 20, 2008

...The tour, aimed at boosting his foreign affairs credentials with voters at home and introducing himself to world leaders for the first time, started with visits to American troops on the front line...

Maybe he's the one with his hands over his ears?

18 posted on 07/19/2008 5:37:22 PM PDT by Fred Nerks (fair dinkum!)
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To: Fred Nerks

LOL/


19 posted on 07/19/2008 5:41:09 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Our troops are forced to stand behind this clown. Wonder if he told them off line how he plans on decimating our military if he gets elected.


20 posted on 07/19/2008 5:41:24 PM PDT by Marine_Uncle (Duncan Hunter was our best choice...Now we are left with a bunch of idiots.)
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To: Marine_Uncle; Ernest_at_the_Beach; devolve; Grampa Dave; gonzo; MeekOneGOP; Jeff Head
Our troops are forced to stand behind this clown. Wonder if he told them off line how he plans on decimating our military if he gets elected.

We have a winner.

The 1:35 version, buffers every few seconds until fully loaded.

21 posted on 07/19/2008 10:14:09 PM PDT by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: PhilDragoo

bump! bump! bump!

And link that again just for GOOD measure !!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o84PE871BE

Click above to hear Obomber talk out of the other
side of his face !!!


22 posted on 07/19/2008 10:38:26 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP (McRINO needs reach across the aisle to Conservatives for a CHANGE! Dang him!!!)
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To: Schnucki

- - - - - - -

- - - - - - -

Unlike Kerry, Obama Covets Soros' Support (7-28-2004 Article)

Barack Hussein Obama is George Soros' Puppet / Foto Fun!


23 posted on 07/19/2008 10:41:38 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP (McRINO needs reach across the aisle to Conservatives for a CHANGE! Dang him!!!)
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To: Schnucki

Just for the record...

Explosions Hit KABUL (10/7/2001)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/541900/posts


24 posted on 07/19/2008 10:48:54 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP (McRINO needs reach across the aisle to Conservatives for a CHANGE! Dang him!!!)
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To: PhilDragoo

Yea. I watched the video some time back.


25 posted on 07/20/2008 5:34:07 AM PDT by Marine_Uncle (Duncan Hunter was our best choice...Now we are left with a bunch of idiots.)
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To: potlatch; PhilDragoo; ntnychik; MeekOneGOP; Jeff Head; Travis McGee; Grampa Dave; ...



26 posted on 07/20/2008 5:35:24 AM PDT by devolve (- "Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." Press #2 for English)
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To: devolve

Nice T-Shirt there!!


27 posted on 07/20/2008 1:32:50 PM PDT by potlatch (MICHELLE OBAMA - The gift that just keeps on giving....!)
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To: potlatch

.

Yeah

Obama’s big fact finding consisted of showing of a set shot

Did you notice the color of the shirt he was wearing in photo-ops with the (non-combat) troops?

It was not a coincidence -


28 posted on 07/20/2008 1:47:54 PM PDT by devolve ( "Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." - Elect a cokehead '08 !)
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To: devolve

No, I’ve not read any news at all today.
Strange as it seems, I miss Tim Matthew’s show, and Steppinalloverus was pre-empted for sports today [here].

Have been working on other things.


29 posted on 07/20/2008 1:51:17 PM PDT by potlatch (MICHELLE OBAMA - The gift that just keeps on giving....!)
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To: potlatch

.

Busy Busy

If you look at the photo with the troops and the color of the shirt he is wearing it’s obvious he thought he was sending a not so subliminal message

One the libs would deny he intended


30 posted on 07/20/2008 1:55:06 PM PDT by devolve ( "Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." - Elect a cokehead '08 !)
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To: devolve

Well, I’ll have to look and see if I can figure it out, lol.


31 posted on 07/20/2008 1:57:46 PM PDT by potlatch (MICHELLE OBAMA - The gift that just keeps on giving....!)
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To: potlatch

.

The way to hide a message is to put in obvious plain sight


32 posted on 07/20/2008 2:02:04 PM PDT by devolve ( "Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." - Elect a cokehead '08 !)
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To: devolve

I’ll have to remember that when I read through posts!
Nothing subliminal.


33 posted on 07/20/2008 2:04:32 PM PDT by potlatch (MICHELLE OBAMA - The gift that just keeps on giving....!)
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To: potlatch; PhilDragoo; ntnychik; MeekOneGOP; Jeff Head; Grampa Dave; Travis McGee

.

It’s pretty blantant!

I’m surprised nobody has comented on it

-

Another is the Sears-Allstate insurance TV ad now running with an Obama look-alike:

“It sure feels like a recession!”

The liberal agenda ad agencies and corporations have packed the TV ads with Obama look-alikes for several years now

All way out of proportion to an 11% population

A sneaky way to give free campaign ads to Obama and the DNC

-


34 posted on 07/20/2008 2:15:26 PM PDT by devolve ( "Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." - Elect a cokehead '08 !)
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To: devolve

I’ve been searching on threads, no picts of Obama on his trip and that’s strange. I found one on a site;

He’s in a BLACK T-Shirt. BLACK?


35 posted on 07/20/2008 2:18:58 PM PDT by potlatch (MICHELLE OBAMA - The gift that just keeps on giving....!)
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To: potlatch

.

Exactly

I spotted it instantly

Obama & his staff figure they can do or say anything

Then scream “rascist” if anyone questions them

Chinos and a black polo shirt

To stand out from the troops and others in any photos or TV coverage

But mainly to give a message

I’m rarely wrong about these things

Let’s face it - Obama had a “New Black Panthers” webpage on his official campaign website


36 posted on 07/20/2008 2:33:21 PM PDT by devolve ( "Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." - Elect a cokehead '08 !)
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To: devolve

Lol, wonder if he ever dons a white one?


37 posted on 07/20/2008 2:36:49 PM PDT by potlatch (MICHELLE OBAMA - The gift that just keeps on giving....!)
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To: potlatch

.

Only here in the states at campaign rallies

I told you it was to blantant and obvious for anyone to question it

Very “Fruit Of Islam”


38 posted on 07/20/2008 2:41:36 PM PDT by devolve ( "Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." - Elect a cokehead '08 !)
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To: devolve

Yes, but most people don’t think of that either.


39 posted on 07/20/2008 2:44:54 PM PDT by potlatch (MICHELLE OBAMA - The gift that just keeps on giving....!)
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To: potlatch

.

But I do

It’s like the article/thread by Lawrence Hunter

It never mentioned La Raza and illegal aliens

But it mentioned Jack Kemp and the US Chamber of Commerce

It’s often what is not stated - yet is right out in plain sight

word/name association often helps


40 posted on 07/20/2008 2:58:25 PM PDT by devolve ( "Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it." - Elect a cokehead '08 !)
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To: devolve

Yes, I know you are very politically alert.


41 posted on 07/20/2008 3:00:28 PM PDT by potlatch (MICHELLE OBAMA - The gift that just keeps on giving....!)
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