Pentagon tells Obama aide a visit to U.S. base in Germany would be seen as political

BERLIN–A scheduled visit by presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) with U.S. troops Friday at a military base in Rammstein, Germany was canceled after the Pentagon told the campaign it would look too political.

Obama and his campaign entrourage–press, staff and security–was to have flown to Rammstein this morning before heading to Paris to meet with President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace. After the afternoon meeting and press conference, it is wheels up to London.

Though the Rammstein visit had been long planned, Obama senior strategist David Axelrod said that the Pentagon notified Obama military advisor Scott Gration just before the visit that it could be portrayed as political. In light of that, the campaign decided to pull the event.

Obama has been at the base in previous overseas trips. He visited with troops–even played basketball–when he touched down in Kuwait during the Iraq and Afghanistan leg of his swing.