Obama drops visit to wounded US troops in Germany

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama dropped a plan to visit wounded U.S. troops in Germany on Friday after the Pentagon said such venues should not be used for political campaigns. The Pentagon in a statement cited longstanding Defence Department policy that prohibits military personnel or facilities from association with partisan political campaigns and elections. "We told him he could visit Landstuhl (Regional Medical Centre in western Germany) with his Senate staff, but not with his campaign staff," said Army Lt. Col. Elizabeth Hibner. Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Scott Gration, an adviser to Obama, said Obama had opted against the visit. "Senator Obama had hoped to and had every intention of visiting our troops to express his appreciation and gratitude for their service to our country," Gration said, but... [read full story]