Barack Obama in Berlin, Germany

Part two of three

Full Text of Remarks as Prepared for Delivery: my.barackobama.com

Barack Obama in Berlin, Germany

Part one of three

Full Text of Remarks as Prepared for Delivery: my.barackobama.com

Barack Obama in Berlin, Germany

Part three of three

Full Text of Remarks as Prepared for Delivery: my.barackobama.com

"Overall, the image of this particular American Democrat in the Mideast, using tough language about terror but weaving it into a broader global vision that includes an emphasis on multilateralism and true energy reform -- even as Republicans are embracing some of his war-on-terror policies -- is an undeniably powerful one," writes Greg Sargent of Talking Points Memo, of Obama's Mideast trip and press conference in Jordan. tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com

During the first press conference of his trip, Obama stated, "There is security progress, but now we need a political solution" in Iraq.

Obama further noted that Iraqi leaders want a clear date for withdrawal of U.S. troops. "They do not want an open-ended presence of U.S. combat forces. The prime minister said that now is an appropriate time to start to plan for the reorganization of our troops in Iraq, including their numbers and missions. He stated his hope that U.S. combat forces could be out of Iraq in 2010," Obama said.

The press conference in Jordan came after Obama toured war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, where he met with U.S. military leaders, Iraqi leaders and U.S. troops.

McCain gets confused (again) on world geography, stating in an interview on ABC, "I think it's serious. . . . It's a serious situation, but there's a lot of things we need to do. We have a lot of work to do and I'm afraid it's a very hard struggle, particularly given the situation on the Iraq-Pakistan border."

McCain was responding to Diane Sawyer's question as to whether or not he agreed with Obama's comment that the situation in Afghanistan is "percarious and urgent."

HuffPo has more.

Barack Obama shoots hoops with an enthusiastic crowd of U.S. troops in Kuwait, his first stop before heading into Iraq.

"I am just very proud of the extraordinary work that the troops are doing here in Kuwait; you're providing all the logistical support that's needed for folks in the battlefield, and without you, this effort would not be successful," Obama told the troops .

Obama is touring nations in Southern Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

"The Muslims have said either we kneel or they're going to kill us,'' stated Bud Day, during a McCain campaign conference call.

Bud Day, close friend and surrogate to McCain, added, ""I don't intend to kneel and I don't advocate to anybody that we kneel, and John doesn't advocate to anybody that we kneel.''

John McCain has refused to denounce Bud Day's controversial remarks
which have come under fire from CAIR and other organizations.

Bud Day is a member of McCain's "Truth Squad" and one of the founders of "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth," the 527 that attacked John Kerry in 2004.

On Larry King Live, Obama comments on the controversial "New Yorker Cover" stating, "Well, I know it was The New Yorker's attempt at satire. I don't think they were entirely successful with it. But you know what? It's a cartoon, Larry, and that's why we've got the First Amendment.

And I think the American people are probably spending a little more time worrying about what's happening with the banking system and the housing market, and what's happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, than a cartoon.

So I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it."

Obama further points out how negatively stereotyping Muslim-Americans is insulting.

"Well, you know, by getting on "Larry King" and telling everybody I'm a Christian and I wasn't raised in a Muslim home. And pledge allegiance to the flag. And, you know, all the things that have been reported in these e-mails are completely untrue and have been debunked again and again and again. So, all you can do is just tell the truth and trust in the American people that over time, they're going to know what the truth is.

One last point I want to -- I do want to make about these e-mails, though. And I think this has an impact on this "New Yorker" cover.

You know, this is actually an insult against Muslim-Americans, something that we don't spend a lot of time talking about. And sometimes I've been derelict in pointing that out.

You know, there are wonderful Muslim-Americans all across the country who are doing wonderful things. And for this to be used as sort of an insult, or to raise suspicions about me, I think is unfortunate. And it's not what America's all about."

Monday, the Obama campaign called the New Yorker cover, "tasteless and offensive."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PVORrF3QSw

In a pre-taped interview on Larry King, Obama comments on the controversial "New Yorker Cover" stating, "Well, I know it was The New Yorker's attempt at satire. I don't think they were entirely successful with it. But you know what? It's a cartoon, Larry, and that's why we've got the First Amendment.

And I think the American people are probably spending a little more time worrying about what's happening with the banking system and the housing market, and what's happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, than a cartoon.

So I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it."

Obama further points out how negatively stereotyping Muslim-Americans is insulting.

"Well, you know, by getting on "Larry King" and telling everybody I'm a Christian and I wasn't raised in a Muslim home. And pledge allegiance to the flag. And, you know, all the things that have been reported in these e-mails are completely untrue and have been debunked again and again and again. So, all you can do is just tell the truth and trust in the American people that over time, they're going to know what the truth is.

One last point I want to -- I do want to make about these e-mails, though. And I think this has an impact on this "New Yorker" cover.

You know, this is actually an insult against Muslim-Americans, something that we don't spend a lot of time talking about. And sometimes I've been derelict in pointing that out.

You know, there are wonderful Muslim-Americans all across the country who are doing wonderful things. And for this to be used as sort of an insult, or to raise suspicions about me, I think is unfortunate. And it's not what America's all about."

Monday, the Obama campaign called the New Yorker cover, "tasteless and offensive." www.youtube.com

In a major policy speech today on the Iraq war and National Security, "A New Strategy for a New World," Obama called the Iraq war a 'dangerous distraction.'

"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," Obama stated.

Obama noted that he opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning and warned that it "would fan the flames of extremism."

"I opposed going to war in Iraq; Senator McCain was one of Washington's biggest supporters for war. I warned that the invasion of a country posing no imminent threat would fan the flames of extremism, and distract us from the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban; Senator McCain claimed that we would be greeted as liberators, and that democracy would spread across the Middle East. Those were the judgments we made on the most important strategic question since the end of the Cold War," Obama said.

Obama vowed that on his first day in office as President, he would give the military a new mission: Ending the war in Iraq.

Obama's strategy for National Security is premised on five goals:

1. Ending the war in Iraq responsibly 2.Finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban

3. Securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states

4.Achieving true energy security

5. Rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Full Remarks a prepared for delivery:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGxkFr