There is NO competition at all between Obama and McCain when it comes to understanding the middle east, and the world for that matter.
Time has just released the latest interview from Obama, after visiting Iraq and Afghanistan, were he explains the daunting task in both Iraq and Afghanistan, BUT ESPECIALLY Afghanistan. His answers prove that indeed he was there to listen and understand the situation, not just a photo-op.
And I'm willing to bet that General Petraeus was impressed with Obama.
*OH! and he take a brilliant jab at McCain by the way!
It's a short interview, but good one.
This i like A LOT, he is explaining any new things he learned, or beliefs he strengthened while over there:
OBAMAL: ...But you really did get a sense uniformly among just the average guy out on patrol to the NATO commander that this is a critical problem that has to be solved."
...The second thing was, the degree that Afghanistan has to start from such a deficit when it comes to development. You know, we're rightfully focused on narco-trafficking. But you've got a 30% literacy rate. We actually had dinner with a very fine minister of education who is genuinely committed to education for all children, but particularly for girls. Listening to him describe not only the barriers presented by the lack of women teachers — and you've got to have women teachers to teach girls in a traditional Islamic society — but also, the fact that they have to produce enough schools so that girls don't have to travel a significant distance. Because in that traditional society for a girl to travel alone or even in groups is unacceptable. It really just gave me a sense in microcosm of all the barriers to development that are taking place there...
That's Afghanistan, this is Iraq, after talking with leaders in Anbar, tribal and elected ones:
...It gave you a sense of how close to the surface the animosity between Sunnis and Shias remains. ... The way that the tribal leaders and the provincial officials describe the Shi'as in Baghdad was indicative of a deep-seated lack of trust. And the fact that the violence has lessened and that AQI really has been routed does not answer the larger possibility of a return to sectarian violence unless that trust issue is resolved.
And his jab at McCain? funny!:
TIME: Was there anything that you saw on this trip that changed your mind? John McCain, as you know, is saying, "Well, he already knew what he was going to think before he got there."
OBAMA: Well I thought John also suggested that I'm always changing my mind, so he's got to make up his mind about what he says about my mind.
Read the rest of the interview, here: Karen Tumulty interviews Barack Obama