US Election:BARACK OBAMA has described the Iraq war as a distraction from the US's key foreign policy goals, promising to divert military resources instead to Afghanistan - "a war we must win". Denis Stauntonreports.
Speaking ahead of a visit to the Middle East and Europe, Mr Obama said US president George Bush had squandered opportunities to work with US allies.
"We could have deployed the full force of American power to hunt down and destroy Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda, the Taliban and all of the terrorists responsible for 9/11, while supporting real security in Afghanistan. We could have secured loose nuclear materials around the world, and updated a 20th-century non-proliferation framework to meet the challenges of the 21st," he said.
"We could have strengthened old alliances, formed new partnerships, and renewed international institutions to advance peace and prosperity."
Mr Obama, who opposed the invasion of Iraq from the outset and has promised to begin a full withdrawal of combat troops as soon as he takes office as president, said Iraq's dominance of US foreign policy had had severe strategic implications for the US.
"This war distracts us from every threat that we face and so many opportunities we could seize. This war diminishes our security, our standing in the world, our military, our economy, and the resources that we need to confront the challenges of the 21st century. By any measure, our single-minded and open-ended focus on Iraq is not a sound strategy for keeping America safe," he said.
Mr Obama said he remained committed to withdrawing US forces from Iraq within 16 months and promised that no permanent US bases would remain in the country. During his presidency, fighting al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan would become the top foreign policy priority.
"I will send at least two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan, and use this commitment to seek greater contributions - with fewer restrictions - from Nato allies. I will focus on training Afghan security forces and supporting an Afghan judiciary, with more resources and incentives for American officers who perform these missions," he said.
"Just as we succeeded in the cold war by supporting allies who could sustain their own security, we must realise that the 21st century's frontlines are not only on the field of battle - they are found in the training exercise near Kabul, in the police station in Kandahar, and in the rule of law in Herat."
Republican presidential candidate John McCain poured scorn on Mr Obama's speech, suggesting instead that the military surge strategy currently employed in Iraq should be extended to Afghanistan. Declaring that he knows "how to win wars", Mr McCain said he would ensure victory in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Senator Obama will tell you we can't win in Afghanistan without losing in Iraq. In fact, he 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.
"I know how to win wars. And if I'm elected president, I will turn around the war in Afghanistan, just as we have turned around the war in Iraq, with a comprehensive strategy for victory."
Although Mr McCain is trailing Mr Obama in opinion polls, most Americans view the Republican as a more credible commander-in-chief and he yesterday accused his Democratic rival of naivety for suggesting that he would attack al-Qaeda camps in Pakistan without the permission of that country's government.
"In trying to sound tough, he has made it harder for the people whose support we most need to provide it. I won't bluster and I won't make idle threats," he said.