WASHINGTONLikely Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has penciled in a foreign trip before the Democratic conventionwith an Iraq visit possible, Obama spokesman Bill Burton told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Obama team for some time had wanted Obama to travel overseas after securing the nominationIsrael was one country under consideration– only to put plans on hold because of the extended primary season as Obama has battled Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)
Burton said a working visit to Iraq is under consideration. GOP presumptive nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) had challenged Obama to visit Iraq with himnoting that he had been there eight times and Obama visited once. Obama traveled to Iraq in early 2006 on an official congressional trip. Obama will not accept McCains invitation.
Obama stopped in Kuwait on that Iraq swing to play basketball with troops. Obama’s last international trip was a multi-nation visit to several African nations. Before jumping in the race for president, Obama had mulled a visit to Indonesiawhere he lived as a youthin the summer of 2007.