On the campaign trail, Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain each delivered lengthy speeches Tuesday on their foreign policy agendas. Both agreed on boosting the US occupation of Afghanistan but differed over the Iraq war, which Obama called a distraction in the so-called war on terror.

Sen. Barack Obama: “This war diminishes our security, our standing in the world, our military, our economy and the resources that we need to confront the challenges of the twenty-first century. By any measure, our single-minded and open-ended focus on Iraq is not a sound strategy for keeping America safe. I am running for president of the United States to lead this country in a new direction and to seize this moment’s promise.”

A new Washington Post poll shows Obama with an eight-point lead over McCain nationwide.