Senator Barack Obama formally enters 2008 US presidential race

Washington, Feb 11 (UNI) Junior Democratic Senator Barack Obama has formally entered the 2008 presidential race, hoping to become the first African-American president of the United States.

Obama, made the announcement yesterday in Springfield, Illinois, where he began his political career a decade ago. Behind him stood the building where, Abraham Lincoln, in the 19th century, served as a state legislator before becoming one of the most important presidents in American history.

''I stand before you today to announce my candidacy for President of the United States of America,'' he told his supporters who assembled there in the sub-zero temperature.

Obama has been a US senator for two years but before that he served for eight years in the Illinois state legislature.

Besides Obama, the other prominent aspirants for the Democratic nomination are Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and 2004 Vice Presidential nominee John Edwards.

In the opinion poll, the former first lady is ahead of party's other presidential hopefuls.

In his 20-minute speech, Obama called the Iraq war a ''tragic mistake'' and said, ''It's time to admit that no amount of American lives can resolve the political disagreement that lies at the heart of someone else's civil war. That's why I have a plan that will bring our combat troops home by March of 2008.'' ''Letting the Iraqis know that we will not be there forever is our last, best hope to pressure the Sunni and Shia to come to the table and find peace,'' the Democratic party leader said.

UNI