US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama met Iraqi leaders and US military commanders in Baghdad today in a visit overshadowed by the question of when US troops should go home.
US strategy in Iraq and troop levels are central issues in the November election race between the first-term senator from Illinois and Republican candidate John McCain.
Mr Obama flew into Iraq to assess security in the country, where violence has fallen to its lowest level since early 2004.
Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Mr Obama did not mention his pledge to remove US combat troops within 16 months if he takes office in talks with prime minister Nuri al-Maliki.
But in comments that suggest Iraq and Obama are not far apart on the issue, Mr Dabbagh said the government had a vision of all foreign combat forces leaving by the end of 2010 if security conditions allowed.
"We cannot give any timetables or dates but the Iraqi government believes the end of 2010 is the appropriate time for the withdrawal of [American] forces," Mr Dabbagh told reporters.
On Sunday the Iraqi government had denied Mr Maliki told a German magazine in an interview that he backed Obama's plan to withdraw combat troops within 16 months. The government said Mr Maliki's remarks to Der Spiegel were translated incorrectly.
There are more than 140,000 American troops in Iraq.
Mr Obama said in very brief remarks he had a "very constructive discussion" with Mr Maliki.
Television pictures showed the two men smiling and shaking hands before they sat down for talks.
Mr Maliki suggested earlier this month setting a timetable for US troops to leave Iraq, but has given no dates.
Mr Obama has welcomed Mr Maliki's suggestion but some Iraqis insist that the army and police cannot go it alone and that a premature withdrawal of US troops could open the door to the sort of violence that nearly tore Iraq apart not so long ago.
Indeed, vice president Tareq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Arab, said he told Mr Obama that while he agreed with a withdrawal timetable in principle Iraq's forces needed to be ready.
Mr Obama scheduled no news conferences in Iraq and his visit has been shrouded in secrecy for security reasons. In an attempt to boost his foreign policy credentials, he will also travel to other countries in the Middle East and visit major powers in Europe this week.
Reuters