WASHINGTON: Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama on Monday rejected the idea of pausing US troop drawdowns in Iraq, raised earlier in Baghdad by Defence Secretary Robert Gates.

But Obama, locked in a tight struggle for the Democratic nomination with Hillary Clinton, said combat troops should be brought home as soon as possible.

“I strongly disagree with the administration’s plans to ‘pause’ the long overdue removal of our combat brigades from Iraq,” Obama said in a statement.

“We cannot wage war without end in Iraq while ignoring mounting costs to our troops and their families, our security and our economy.

“While the administration puts our drawdown on permanent pause, (Osama) bin Laden is on the loose, Afghanistan is sliding toward chaos, and we’re spending billions of dollars a week in Baghdad instead of helping Americans who are struggling here at home.” Obama instead called for a rapid and responsible removal of combat brigades, to relieve the burden on the US military and pressure Iraqi governing factions to reconcile.—AFP