McCain slams Obama on Iraq war policy

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain slammed his likely electoral rival, Barack Obama, Monday over his stance on the Iraq war.

The U.S. senator from Arizona said the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee -- his colleague from Illinois -- was wrong to support an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq rather than see the fight through to a U.S. military victory, the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reported.

"Both candidates in this election pledge to end this war and bring our troops home," McCain said at a Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention in Orlando, Fla. "The great difference, the great difference, is that I intend to win it first."

McCain also pledged if elected to the White House to improve benefits for U.S. veterans. He said all veterans should receive a Veterans Care Access Card that would allow them to use private healthcare services.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars organization said 43 percent of U.S. veterans identify themselves as conservatives and 16 percent label themselves liberals, the Sentinel reported.