Obama in First Interview: Situation in Afghanistan is 'precarious and urgent'

Obama: Situation in Afghanistan is 'precarious and urgent'

In his first interview with an American TV network since landing in Afghanistan yesterday, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama said the "situation is precarious and urgent here" and that Afghanistan must become the "central front in our battle against terrorism."

On CBS' Face the Nation this morning, Obama also told correspondent Lara Logan that because Afghanistan has again become a place where terrorists are planning attacks and where the drug trade is giving them the money to carry such attacks out, he believes -- as he has been saying for more than a year -- that an additional two brigades, at least, of U.S. troops are needed in the country.

On the issue of terrorist training camps in neighboring Pakistan, Obama said "we'd like to see the Pakistani government take out those training camps." He said the U.S. has made a "strategic error" by "taking its eye" off Afghanistan and the largely lawless border areas between that nation and Pakistan.

"Mission accomplished" in Afghanistan, Obama said, would be a stable nation and a country where terrorists are not able to plan attacks.

Asked about whether he has enough experience in foreign affairs to be president, Obama said that "people who are very experienced in foreign affairs ... don't have those doubts" about him, "the troops that I've been meeting with ... don't seem to have those doubts" and that he has "never" had any doubts about his ability to handle such issues.

CBS plans to air more of the interview tonight on its Evening News, tomorrow on The Early Show and again on the Evening News.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/07/obama-2.html