If elected, Obama to take strategic decision on Pakistan

“It would be my job as commander in chief, to set the mission, to make the strategic decisions in light of the problems that we’re having in Afghanistan, in light of the problems that we are having in Pakistan, the fact that al-Qaeda is strengthening, as our national intelligence estimates have indicated, since 2001,” Obama told Fox News.

He also said that if elected president he would set a performance timetable for the Iraqi government.

Asked whether he would vote for General David Petraeus, who will succeed Admiral William Fallon as commander of all US forces in the Middle East if confirmed by the Senate, Obama said replied in affirmative.

Petraeus was nominated last week to take over as commander of US forces in the Middle East from Fallon, who resigned in March after becoming an outspoken critic of American policy towards Iran.

Obama criticised the Bush administration for not listening to various observations made by Fallon on Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“I was also a big respecter of Admiral Fallon, who Petraeus is now replacing, and I think it was unfortunate that the administration wasn’t listening more to the observations of Fallon, that we have to think about more than just Iraq, that we’ve got issues with Iran and Pakistan and Afghanistan, and our singular focus on Iraq I think has distracted us,” Obama said.

Not too long ago Obama made it known that if there was indeed actionable intelligence of the presence of top al-Qaeda leadership in the northern areas of Pakistan, he would instruct American forces to capture them. His comments were denounced by Islamabad.

Asked whether he would replace Petraeus if elected to White House, Obama hinted that he would would continue to work with the war’s current commanders. “I will listen to General Petraeus, given the

experience that he’s accumulated over the last several years. It would be stupid of me to ignore what he has to say,” Obama said.