Foreign Policy & Iraq
Iraq
McCain voted in 2002 to authorize the invasion of Iraq but criticized what he called a “badly conceived military strategy” that concentrated American troops on large bases. McCain backed General David Petraeus’ surge and counterinsurgency strategy, which he credits for a reduction in sectarian and ethnic violence since mid-2007.
Obama opposed the invasion and the troop increase. He says he will direct his military commanders to begin a “responsible and phased” withdrawal “directed by military commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government.” Obama proposes withdrawing 1 to 2 combat brigades, for a full withdrawal by the summer of 2010.
McCain opposes withdrawing American troops until the Iraqi government “is capable of governing itself and safeguarding its people” and Al Qaeda in Iraq is defeated. He opposes setting a timetable for withdrawal, but projected he would have most American forces home by 2013
Sources:
New York Times
McCain Campaign
Obama Campaign
Iran
Both McCain and Obama insist they will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.
Obama also has said he would not allow Iran to he would not allow Iran to produce uranium within its borders, a position consistent with the Bush administration’s stance. McCain says he would consider allowing Iran to enrich its own uranium for nuclear power but only under conditions that prevents it from converting the fuel into weapons.
Obama has criticized McCain for using a Beach Boys song to joke about bombing Iran’s nuclear sites. McCain has criticised Obama for his willingness to meet with hostile foreign leaders “without precondition.”
“The United States is trapped by the Bush-Cheney approach to diplomacy that refuses to talk to leaders we don’t like,” Obama says. “Not talking doesn’t make us look tough – it makes us look arrogant, it denies us opportunities to make progress, and it makes it harder for America to rally international support for our leadership.”
The New York Times concluded that based on their careers and their statements, McCain’s “threshold for pre-emptive military action seems lower than” Obama’s. But The Times also noted that presidents often act in unpredictable ways when confronted with foreign policy challenges or opportunities. “John F. Kennedy said virtually nothing about building up troops in Vietnam in 1960, nor did Richard M. Nixon talk in 1968 about engineering an opening to China.”