How Very Presidential

"One in the Box"

Barack Obama told the Iraqi government that George W Bush should not be allowed to strike a deal on the future of American troops in the country without the approval of the US Congress, it has emerged.

Mr Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, also said that the deal should be delayed until President Bush was out of office, according to Iraq's ambassador to the US - though this is denied by Mr Obama's campaign.

Samir Sumaidaie, the Iraqi ambassador to the US, told the Washington Times: "In the conversation, the senator urged Iraq to delay the [deal] between Iraq and the United States until the new administration was in place." He added that Mr Obama had said "The new administration will have a free hand to opt out" of the deal.

Nice.