by Mike Dorning
Barack Obama announced this morning that he will make a foreign trip this summer to Europe and the Middle East which has long been expected. Though the campaign did not announce dates for the trip, aides have said privately for some time that the campaign was looking at mid-July for a foreign trip.
The campaign said Obama will be visiting Britain, France and Germany in Europe and Israel and Jordan in the Middle East.
"This trip will be an important opportunity for me to assess the situation in countries that are critical to American national security, and to consult with some of our closest friends and allies about the common challenges we face," Obama said in a written statement e-mailed to reporters.
The announcement does not mention Iraq and Afghanistan, which the candidate said earlier this month he will visit. But members of Congress and high government officials typically keep the dates of visits to the two combat zones secret in advance for security reasons.
The announcement does not indicate whether a visit to Iraq and Afghanistan will be included in the same trip as the broader overseas tour.
Republican rival John McCain challenged Obama to visit Irag and Afghanistan earlier this year. Obama has not visited Iraq since January 2006.
The overseas itinerary Obama announced this morning bears striking similiarities to an overseas tour McCain made earlier this year after the Republican clinched his party's nomination. The McCain tour also included stops in Britain, France, Israel and Jordan.
McCain will be visiting Mexico and Columbia in the coming week.
Obama said in his written statement that his own trip overseas will be "an important opportunity to have an exchange of views" with foreign leaders.
"Israel is a strong and close friend of the United States, and is confronting grave threats from Gaza to Tehran. Jordan has been a close partner in the peace process and a host of other issues of common concern France, Germany, and the United Kingdom are key anchors of the transatlantic alliance and have contributed to the mission in Afghanistan, and I look forward to discussing how we can strengthen our partnership in the years to come. This will be an important opportunity to have an exchange of views with leaders in these countries about these and other issues that are critical to American national security -- and global security -- in the 21st century."
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Comments
Still hasn't gone to Iraq since before the campaign started.
Posted by: Jeff | June 28, 2008 11:26 AM
Swamp so far today--6 stories on Obama and Clinton, 0 stories on McCain.
The Obama Campaign Newsletter (aka The Swamp) is in full attack mode.
Posted by: Bruce | June 28, 2008 11:33 AM
How does this help us win the election in the Fall?
Posted by: Sweetie, you need to win the race first! Then go on tour, no? | June 28, 2008 12:00 PM
Travel, trravel, travel. When will they get back to the Senate and do their current jobs? They could be making changes right now!
Posted by: lochnessmonster | June 28, 2008 12:00 PM
He needs to be sure to bring the people who tell him what to think and what to say. Else all we'll hear is "Bush-McCain this" and "Bush-McCain that." It's getting old.
Posted by: Hill | June 28, 2008 1:01 PM
Figures he would go to Europe, he has nothing in common with Americans!
He should try to pass affirmative action plans there since there are many disadvantaged minorities there
Posted by: John C | June 28, 2008 1:40 PM
Obama is just copying McCain footsteps. He needs to understand that a leader leads, he doesn't follow.
Posted by: Dusty | June 28, 2008 3:37 PM
Obama is actually going to avail himself to background information on a subject he talks about incessantly without any direct experience or knowledge. It will be instructive to see how he's welcomed in the Muslim countries.
Posted by: Derrick | June 28, 2008 11:44 PM
Obama will be greeted with crowds of admirers in Europe such as to knock your socks off.
Probably no American since Lindbergh will have attracted such crowds.
However, I don't think he should go to Jordan or Israel. For security reasons, if nothing else. There'll be plenty of time to deal with that mess later. It's just a dangerous patch of quicksand with the potential for ugly scenes. Who needs that??
Posted by: ornery | June 29, 2008 3:35 PM
How about focusing on who has the experience, judgement and character to protect us and bring prosperity to Americans … not someone who in the eleventh hour, finally tries to establish foreign policy credentials, in a one week visit, as a transparent political ploy to get himself elected. Where was Obama, when he was supposed to chair the congressional committee on Afghanistan, and never had a single meeting. Why did Obama vote ‘present’ over 100 times in the senate? Even if he manages a political rally in the Roman Coliseum, he’s still just an inexperienced politician, who is not qualified to be President of the United States of America !!!
Posted by: Howard | July 22, 2008 10:16 AM