McCain: The senator has been the most outspoken supporter of the mission in Iraq, but has been highly critical of the administration's execution of the war. He supported the President's troop surge, which its success he says shows how America can also succeed in Afghanistan.
McCain believes that hasty troop withdrawal would endanger America's reputation and security, and therefore does not support a timeline for withdrawal. He says the consequences of failure in Iraq would be catastrophic, and that withdrawal should be based on conditions on the ground in Iraq.
McCain says economic progress is essential to sustaining security gains in Iraq. He says that international community should bolster proven microfinance programs to spur local-level entrepreneurship throughout the country.
Quote: "I know war. I have seen war. I know how the military works. I know how the government works. I understand national security. I was once the commanding officer of the largest squadron in the US Navy. I didn't manage it. I led it."
McCain says he would send three additional brigades to Afghanistan, and employ the same counter-insurgency efforts being used in Iraq. McCain would also focus on cracking down on narcotics traffic in the country, as well as strengthening local tribes to fight terrorism.
Obama: As an Illinois senator, Obama opposed the Iraq war. In his first years as senator, Obama regularly voted to fund the war. He did not support the President's troop surge.
As recently as July, the senator indicated that the U.S. had not been helped by the surge, although he has conceded that it helped reduce violence. Obama had once called for troop withdrawal to begin by the end of 2006.
Obama says he would redeploy U.S. troops at a pace of one to two brigades a month, with the total withdrawal to be complete by summer 2010. He would pursue diplomatic efforts to bring stability of Iraq and the region, including involving Iran and Syria.
Quote: "What we have seen is a distraction from the battles that deal with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. We have created an entire new recruitment network in Iraq."
In Afghanistan, Obama would send at least two more combat brigades and seek greater contributions from NATO allies. He proposes offering alternative livelihoods to poppy farmers to cut down on the narcotics trade.
