Obama calls for more troops in Afghanistan, increased support for Afghani government

Declaring gains have been made on the Iraq War effort, but concerned about worsening conditions in the War in Afghanistan, presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama called for more troops in Afghanistan Sunday at a conference for journalists of color in Chicago.

Obama gave a wide-ranging, 36-minute interview on U.S. foreign and domestic issues at the Unity '08 convention at McCormick Place. This was Obama's first U.S. interview since his return from a fact-finding trip to the Middle East and Europe.

"The violence is down in Iraq, and the work of our troops has greatly contributed to consolidating some of those gains," Obama said. "There's no doubt that we've seen al Qu'aida marginalized in the Sunni regions in Iraq, and that has made a big contribution towards quelling the violence."

Obama also said a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal given by Iraq Prime minister Nouri al-Maliki is a positive step.

"Combined with the ability of the Taliban and al Qu'aida to engage in raids and then cross over into the Pakistani-held territories so that they have safe havens there that U.S. troops can't follow," Obama said. "That is a huge problem."

Obama also called for increased support from the Afghani government to eliminate safe havens and emphasized America's commitment to preventing an arms race in the volatile Middle East.

"What we need is sustained American engagement," Obama said, crediting the Bush administration's recent attempts in Annapolis to broker a peace deal between Israel and Palestinians. The large crowd that came to see him in Berlin, Obama said, was indicative of Europe and a world waiting for the U.S. leadership through engagement and diplomacy.

The Democratic party candidate linked problems on the home front with problems abroad. More support from the world community in Afghanistan will allow the U.S. to deploy fewer troops and free up more resources to address issues such as high gas prices, dependency of foreign oil, and both the housing and education crises.

Essential to the ability to shift resources to these problems is the ability of the United States to successfully partner with other nations and their leaders to engage around common opportunities and challenges.

The forum opened with a Q&A with the audience, made up of members of the National Association of Black Journalists, Native American Journalists Association, Asian American Journalists Association and National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Obama addressed questions on wide-ranging topics:

On accusations of a weakness in addressing foreign policy problems and diplomacy:
Obama said he feels confident Americans know he is qualified to lead the country at home and abroad. He emphasized the need for humility and the need to be as clear on the objectives of other countries as those of America.

On Iran: Obama called for a "big carrot and big stick" of world nations addressing an Iran seeking nuclear weapons. Obama called for the world to prevent the regional and global destabilization a nuclear Iran would cause, as well as the Middle East arms race it would trigger.

On the troop surge in Iraq: Obama renewed his earlier assessment of the war on Iraq as a mistake. He chided journalists for not asking the same question of Arizona Sen. John McCain, the Republican presumptive presidential nominee. Obama said military solutions alone would not have helped stave off a civil war in Iraq without diplomacy.

On complaints by McCain supporters that his trip to the the Middle East and Europe was "audacious:" Obama said he met with the same leaders and officials McCain has met and his trip was not characterized in the same way. He stated that fact-finding and making such trips is "part of the job for which I'm applying" and said that it should not be held against him; his overseas trip was "done really well." Obama said he also would have been criticized if he had been "bumbling and stumbling" his way through the trip. Relationships with key leaders were established during the trip.

On being "black enough":
Obama laughed and said that in the year since speaking before the NABJ convention in Las Vegas, he has gone from not being "black enough" to being "too black." A New Yorker magazine cover featuring Obama and his wife, Michelle, as black revolutionaries was roundly condemned in the black community.

On apologies to Native Americans for past injustices and on reparations for black people:
Obama said he is more concerned about delivering a better life to Native Americans and working with tribal leaders to address such concerns than to offer only an apology for past atrocities. Obama repeated earlier comments that the best reparation to black people is a solid education and the ability to afford college.

On the housing crisis: Obama said he would be meeting with his key economic advisors to see what else can be done to help stabilize the economy and take pressure off Americans reeling from high fuel prices and lost jobs. He called for a second stimulus package for Americans.

On immigration: Obama said the fact that immigrants still seek to come to the U.S. for work is a positive, considering Japan and European countries risk severe economic problems from a declining indiginous population amid a history of resisting assimilation of immigrants. Obama said current immigration practices must hold businesses hiring undocumented workers accountable and the borders must be made secure. Obama also said legal changes are needed because current policies that force immigrants into a 10-year citizenship application process forces immigrants into illegal immigration practices. The policies that apply unequally to immigrants from countries like Haiti need be amended so immigrants from oppressive countries have an equal chance at legal citizenship.

On a Muslim backlash from defending mischaracterizations of Obama as a Muslim and not a Christian: Obama called it a classic no-win situation, saying that the statements made about him are the same as anti-Muslim sentiment that began after 9-11. Obama said he has met with Muslim leaders on several occasions.

On whether he felt he could have been as successful a candidate if he were Muslim: Obama said Americans are more tolerant than ever and are more concerned with issues such as jobs and educational opportunities. If people felt he was incapable of improving their lives, it would not matter what religion or race Obama is.

On affirmative action: Obama said he supports affirmative action when it is properly used because it helps make America a more diverse nation. He also said that affirmative action alone does not place kids in college because if they perform poorly in school, they would not be accepted into college. Obama accused McCain of flip-flopping because McCain previously opposed affirmative action, calling it "divisive." McCain supports an anti-affirmative action initiative in Arizona.

Other takes: The Swamp, NewsBusters.org