Obama calls for troop reduction in Iraq

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Obama calls for troop reduction in Iraq

Associated Press


CHICAGO - Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday called for a troop reduction in Iraq and criticized the Bush administration for questioning the patriotism of people who speak out against the war.

"I believe that U.S. forces are still a part of the solution in Iraq," according to a prepared text of Obama's speech to the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations. "The strategic goals should be to allow for a limited drawdown of U.S. troops, coupled with shift to a more effective counter-insurgency strategy that puts the Iraqi security forces in the lead and intensifies our efforts to train Iraqi forces."

Following the Dec. 15 Iraqi elections, Obama said the United States should focus over the course of the next year on how to reduce its troops there.
"Notice that I say 'reduce' and not 'fully withdraw,'" Obama said.

...

"We watched the shameful attempt to paint John Murtha - a Marine Corp recipient of two purple hearts and a Bronze Star - into a coward of questionable patriotism," Obama said.