Barack Obama’s campaign denied a New York Post report Monday that said the
Democratic presidential candidate privately tried to persuade Iraqi
political leaders to stall an agreement on scaling back American troops in
Iraq while publicly campaigning for a speedy withdrawal.
Obama’s request for a delay was a major theme of his talks with Iraqi
leaders in Baghdad in July, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said in an
interview with the Post.
Obama also tried to persuade the U.S. commanders, inc