Iraq victory 'finally in sight'

Washington - Republican John McCain again insisted victory in Iraq "is finally in sight", as Democrat Barack Obama questioned why he then opposes a timetable for withdrawing American forces.

The argument over the unpopular 5 1/2-year-old war - one of the key issues separating the candidates - flared again on Monday after McCain spoke to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention, a friendly audience given his heroic service as a Navy fighter pilot and prisoner of war in North Vietnam.

The Iraq war, the odds-on top election issue before the presidential contest began, has given way to voter concerns over a stumbling American economy that shows no signs of rebounding as the Democrats head into their national convention next week. Republicans gather to nominate McCain the week following.

McCain, a four-term Arizona senator, said the victory in Iraq he envisioned still could be "squandered by hasty withdrawal and arbitrary timelines. And this is one of many problems in the shifting positions of my opponent, Senator Obama".

Obama issued a sharp retort, questioning McCain's sincerity in support of Iraqi sovereignty - one of the Bush administration's goals in the war that McCain heavily promoted in the months after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks.

"It is hard to understand how Sen McCain can at once proclaim his support for the sovereign government of Iraq, and then stubbornly defy their expressed support for a timeline to remove our combat brigades from their country," said Obama campaign spokesperson Bill Burton.

"John McCain is intent on spending $10bn a month on an open-ended war, while Barack Obama thinks we should bring this war to a responsible end and invest in our pressing needs here at home."

McCain insists US troop withdrawals be dependent on conditions on the ground in Iraq. Obama, with agreement of the Baghdad government, says American forces should be gone in 2010.

After his Florida appearances, McCain flew to Atlanta where he raised more than $1.75m for Republicans at a fundraiser clouded by confusion over the role of Ralph Reed, the former Christian Coalition executive director linked to a lobbying scandal.

McCain led an investigation into lobbyist Jack Abramoff's dealings with Indian tribes when he was chairperson of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

Abramoff ultimately went to prison for conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion; Reed's association with the former lobbyist contributed to his failure in 2006 to become the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Georgia.

- AP