US election issues: Foreign policy 

Foreign policy is one of the key battlegrounds of the US presidential election, with Republican John McCain, a Vietnam veteran, casting himself as the better commander-in-chief, capable of dealing with international crises. 

Democratic candidate Barack Obama is currently on a trip to Afghanistan, the Middle East and Europe, hoping to shake off Mr McCain's suggestions that he is too "naive" and inexperienced to occupy the Oval Office. 

There is a clear difference between the two candidates' policies towards Iraq - one of the main foreign policy challenges facing the next US president, and in some other areas too. 

Europe

John McCain paid tribute to America's European allies in a 26 March speech, calling on Americans to "welcome the rise of a strong, confident European Union as we continue to support a strong Nato". 

He favours the development of a common energy policy, and - eventually - a common market. 

Mr Obama has also lauded the US-EU alliance and has pledged to rebuild America's relationships with European countries, which he says have been damaged during the Bush administration's eight years in power. 

He hopes that by ending the war in Iraq, and moving in step with Europe on the issue of climate change, relations will improve. 

He would use this warmer relationship with European nations to persuade them to invest more troops in the war in Afghanistan. 

Mr Obama has also stressed his support for EU enlargement, and his backing for Turkish membership of the EU. 

And he has said he would invigorate and recalibrate the US's special relationship with the UK. 

Mr McCain drew criticism from the Obama campaign for his 26 March speech in which he called on the G8 to exclude non-democracies, and warned of "the dangers posed by a revanchist Russia". 

The threat from Russia, along with China, is cited by Mr McCain as a reason for investment in missile defence; Mr Obama has pledged to "fully consult Russia on prospects for mutually beneficial co-operation on missile defence but will not give Russia any veto over decisions about US national security". 

He would also attempt to involve Russia in his efforts to crack down on nuclear proliferation and engage in negotiations to take US and Russian ballistic missiles off "hair trigger alert". 
As a senator, Mr Obama led attempts to secure loose nuclear materials throughout the former Soviet Union. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7515498.stm#europe

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〔編譯管淑平綜合報導〕美國民主黨總統參選人奧巴馬二十四日在德國柏林發表演說，提出他的美歐關係基調，強調美歐必須團結合作。這場演說吸引二十萬人到場，德國發行量最大的畫報說，奧巴馬「就像明星一樣受到喝采」，柏林日報更以「美國王子」稱呼奧巴馬，奧巴馬熱從美國延燒到了歐洲。

 

在訪問過阿富汗、伊拉克與以色列後，這場演說是奧巴馬這次旋風走訪多國的海外訪問加強外交學分的重頭戲，他要向美國民眾展示他有能力領導國家，同時能修補布希總統執政八年後的大西洋兩岸關係。他在演說中將今日美歐關係與當年共同對抗共產主義相提並論，表示歐洲和美國必須團結合作「擊敗恐怖主義，切斷支持恐怖份子的泉源」。

 

奧巴馬陣營原本希望這場演說在象徵德國統一的布蘭登堡門舉行，不過遭到當局拒絕，因而改在提爾公園勝利紀念柱，就在曾分隔德國的柏林圍牆附近。

 

奧巴馬在演說前會晤了德國總理梅克爾，兩人討論了中東和平、伊朗與阿富汗等問題。

 

奧巴馬二十五日抵達法國短暫停留數小時與法國總統薩科茲會談，稍後將轉往英國訪問。薩科茲在奧巴馬到訪前接受訪問時說，奧巴馬是他的「好哥們」，還提出二○○六年內政部長任內訪美與奧巴馬會面說，「我是唯一認識他的法國人」。根據皮優研究中心七月十六日公布的民調，奧巴馬在法國支持度高達八十四％，他的共和黨對手麥肯只有三十三％。

 

奧巴馬旋風從美國吹到歐洲，人在美國的麥肯酸溜溜的說：「我也樂意到德國演講，但我寧可是以美國總統身分而非總統候選人。」

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/080726/78/13xr0.html