Obama Officially Joins the Anti-War Majority

Sen. Barack Obama called Monday for U.S. troops to start leaving Iraq in 2007, arguing that the threat of an American pullout is the best leverage Washington has left in the conflict.

"The time for waiting in Iraq is over. It is time to change our policy," said Obama, a freshman Democrat from Illinois touted as a possible national candidate in 2008.

"It is time to give Iraqis their country back, and it is time to refocus America's efforts on the wider struggle yet to be won..."

Some of the troops now in Iraq should be sent to Afghanistan, where he said the Iraq war has had "disastrous consequences" for the battle against the al Qaeda terrorist network.

Furthermore, he said, the Iraq war has hurt American support for international engagement and damaged public trust in the government.

Obama called last year for a limited pullout of American troops from Iraq, but said it is now necessary for that withdrawal to begin in 2007.

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