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Amman, Jordan: Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama reiterated his goal of withdrawing US troops from Iraq by 2010, during his visit to Jordan on Tuesday, saying the troops can't stay in Iraq forever.
Obama, who arrived in Amman from Iraq, was speaking during a press conference held at the Citadel, an ancient hilltop Byzantine ruin in the Amman downtown.
The situation in both Iraq and Afghanistan and the future of the US troops in the two countries were the focus of the hour-long press conference.
The situation in Iraq at present is much safer than it was a year ago, Obama said, adding he wants "a steady, deliberate" pullout from Iraq. "My goal is to no longer have US troops engaged in combat operations in Iraq," he said.
Obama renewed his goal of withdrawing combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of becoming president. But he said he would consult with military commanders to determine how many troops to keep in the country to carry out other duties, including protecting diplomatic and humanitarian operations and to train Iraqis.
The US presidential candidate also emphasised the need to reach a political solution for the Iraqi situation.
He described the situation in Afghanistan as "perilous and urgent", saying "we must act now to reverse that deteriorating situation".
Obama met with Jordanian King Abdullah II and discussed with him the "Arab-American relations ... and the regional developments, particulary those related to the peace process" to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict, according to Jordanian official media.
Obama told the press conference that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict wouldn't be solved overnight, and it would be "unrealistic" to expect from the president of the United States to "point his finger" at things to be solved.
But Obama expressed his belief that a final solution should include the establishment of two states living next to each other in peace and security.
'Useful tour'
His tour includes Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, West Bank, Germany, France and Britain.
His visit to the region is expected to be beneficial for him and his party in understanding the complicated issues of the Arab region, Jordanian analysts said.
"Such a tour is very useful for Obama and his party in forming a first impression" of the region's issues, said Jordanian columnist Sami Al Zubaidi. "It will be very important if he wins November's presidential race," commented Uraib Al Rentawi, an analyst.
And Arabs will try to make Obama's views closer to the Arab views on different regional issues, Rentawi said.
Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama reiterated his goal of withdrawing US troops from Iraq by 2010, during his visit to Jordan on Tuesday, saying the troops can't stay in Iraq forever.
Jordanians are unsure
Jordanians are closely following the US elections, polls show, but they seem undecided on which candidate will follow a "new balanced" US foreign policy in the Middle East after winning November's race, analysts said.
Majority of Jordanians, some analysts said, favour Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama, who visited Amman on Tuesday.
Other Jordanian analysts, however, cautioned that the US foreign policy doesn't hinge on one person, but rather on pressure groups and lobbies inside the United States. Jordanians, they believe, feel neither Obama nor his Republican rival John McCain will bring the change.
Obama has presented so far positions that seemed "closer" to the Arab views than McCain, mainly in the issues of Iraq and the necessity of setting a timetable for the US troops withdrawal from Iraq, said analysts.
"Most Jordanians are fed up with the deceiving policy of the [current Republican President George W.] Bush," Mahmoud Barhoum, a veteran Jordanian journalist, told Gulf News, in reference to Bush's policy on the two main issues of the region.
In the Iraqi issue, Bush's policy made him unpopular in the Arab region and Washington lost credibility among a vast majority of Arabs, as surveys show. The American policy in handling the Palestinian question is perceived by Arabs as biased towards Israel.
"The majority of Jordanians support Obama assuming he will follow a new policy in the Middle East," he said. However, "the US policy is not defined by one political party, but rather by lobbies and pressure groups which support the president and follows its self interests, such as American oil and arms companies", he said.
"The people's feelings, which they don't talk about, are that they don't care who is going to be in the White House" after they felt "frustrated" with the US foreign policy in the region during the past few years, political scientist Saeed Abu Dayyeh told Gulf News.
Obama's remark last month that occupied Jerusalem "will remain the capital of Israel and must remain undivided" has made many Arabs feel that their support for Obama was based on illusions, said analysts.
Uraib Al Rentwai, head of Amman-based Jerusalem Centre for Political Studies, described the statement as "imprudent". "In my opinion, it was some how a flirt to the Jewish voter," said Jordanian columnist Sami Al Zubaidi. Later, Obama said occupied Jerusalem will be in the negotiations between the concerned parties.
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