Obama would end Iraq war refocus on anti-terror policy targeting Pakistan

US Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama Tuesday, July 15, said the top of his to-do list if he wins the race to the White House would be to pull US troops out of Iraq as soon as possible – within 16 months – and redeploy two combat brigades to fight the real threats to America, al Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Taliban controls parts of Afghanistan; Al Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan, he stressed, adding: “Make no mistake: we can’t succeed in Afghanistan or secure our homeland unless we change our Pakistan policy.”
In a major foreign policy speech, Obama said: If another attack on our homeland comes, it will likely come from the same region where 9/11 was planned.
“We must make it clear that if Pakistan cannot or will not act, we will take out high-level terrorist targets like bin Laden if we have them in our sights.”
On another key issue, the senator said:”We cannot tolerate nuclear weapons in the hands of nations that support terror. Preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons potential and access by terrorists to nuclear weapons is a vital national security interest of the United States.”
Obama pledged to use all tools not to allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. He also said he would invest $150bn over the next 10 years to end America’s dependence on foreign oil.
The Democratic candidate begins a Middle East tour including Iraq, Afghanistan. Israel and the Palestinian territories later this month.
Some 72 percent of the 1,119 adults surveyed by telephone in the July 10-13 ABC News/Washington Post poll said Republican candidate Senator John McCain would be a good commander in chief. Only 48 percent thought the same of Obama.