Obama and McCain ready to butt heads over Al Qaeda threat

COLUMBUS Ohio-----Barack Obama and John McCain ridiculed each other's stance on Iraq yesterday, providing a lively preview of what their general election battle would sound like. McCain, in Texas, teed off of Obama's remarks in Tuesday night's debate. Obama said that while he is committed to withdrawing U.S. troops, he would "reserve the right " to act "If Al Qaeda is forming a base in Iraq. " I have some news " deadpanned McCain. " Al Qaeda is in Iraq. It's called "Al Qaeda in Iraq" The Republican called Obama's statement "pretty remarkable" and pledged," I will not surender to Al Qaeda." Obama threw McCain's words back at him during a rally at Ohio State University yesterday. " I have some news for John McCain," he said " And that is that there was no such thing as Al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq." Obama accused McCain and President Bush of taking "their eye off" the Al Qaeda terrorists responsible for Sept. 11. " John McCain may like to say he wants to follow Osama Bin Laden to the gates of hell, but so far all he's done is follow George Bush into a misguided war in Iraq." Obama said.
Getting out of Iraq, he said, will mean " we can actually start going after Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and in the hills of Pakistan, like we should have been doing in the first place."
Adapted from---nydailynews --2-28-2008-p-msaul