Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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March 20, 2008

US Presidential Candidate McCain says al-Qaida 'On The Run'
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1B9B41F:A6F02AD83191E1607B098A7D6B71DEC63CF5CDEF8FC051DA& During trip to
London Republican senator also warns against withdrawal from Iraq,
allowing al-Qaida to declare victory U.S. presidential candidate John
McCain met Thursday with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and told
reporters afterwards that "al-Qaida is on the run" in Iraq.  He also
warned against a withdrawal from Iraq and allowing al-Qaida to declare
victory. Tendai Maphosa has more in this report from the British
capital.







US Republican presidential candidate John McCain (L) meets with
British PM Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street in central London, 20 Mar
2008As the Iraq engagement entered its sixth year, Republican
presidential hopeful John McCain said that the "surge" of increased
U.S. troop levels was succeeding in bringing stability to Iraq and
that the strategy must continue.

Senator McCain, who has been on a weeklong congressional
"fact-finding" tour that has taken him to Iraq for the eighth time,
said Iraq would likely be the key issue of the U.S. presidential
election.

The Republican candidate thanked Britain for its support in Iraq and
for "the enormous service and sacrifice" that its military men and
women have made there and in Afghanistan.

"I fully appreciate that British public opinion has been frustrated by
sometimes our lack of progress in both areas, but all I can do is
express my gratitude to the British government and people and
especially the young people who are serving," he said.

Britain has remained the U.S. government's closest ally in Iraq,
although its continued military presence there is unpopular at home.
It currently has about 4,000 troops stationed in southern Iraq but
plans to reduce that to about 2,500 later this year. It has reduced
troop levels in the last two years, as its military commitment in
Afghanistan has increased.

McCain also expressed appreciation for Mr. Brown's leadership in
tackling climate change. He said he is committed to address the issue
of climate change comprehensively and globally but insisted China and
India must be part of a global agreement on the issue.

"I want to make [it] clear again, we will not have a global agreement
that is effective unless India and China are part of it," he added. 
"I think that there will be sufficient International pressures and
domestic pressures as well as the facts of the environmental
challenges that will bring them into a global agreement."

Before his stop in London McCain, who is a senior member of the Senate
Armed Services Committee, visited Iraq, Jordan and Israel. From London
he is expected to go to Paris to meet with French President Nicolas
Sarkozy.