Obama: Iraq now needs a political solution

"Not surprisingly he wants to retain as much flexibility as possible," Obama said of the general, with whom he met in recent days while touring Iraq.

"I think he wants maximum flexibility to be able to--to do what he believes needs to be done inside of Iraq.

"But keep in mind, for example, one of Gen. Petraeus' responsibilities is not to think about how could we be using some of that $10 billion a month to shore up a U.S. economy that is really hurting right now," Obama said.

"If I'm president of the United States, that is part of my responsibility."

Obama commented at a news conference after arriving in Jordan, his first stop on an election-season trip to the Mideast and Europe paid for by campaign funds.

His remarks about Iraq drew criticism from Tucker Bounds, spokesman for Republican candidate John McCain. "By admitting that his plan for withdrawal places him at odds with Gen. David Petraeus, Barack Obama has made clear that his goal remains unconditional withdrawal rather than securing the victory our troops have earned," the aide said.

The Illinois senator opposed the war from the start and has long called for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops along a 16-month timetable. He favors leaving a force of undetermined size behind to help counter terrorists, protect U.S. personnel and facilities and train Iraqis.

He said he would consult with military commanders to determine how many troops to keep in the country to protect diplomatic and humanitarian operations, to train Iraqis and to conduct counterterrorism operations against al-Qaida in Iraq.

He also opposed Bush's decision to add 30,000 troops more than a year ago, saying it would not succeed, although a gradual reduction in violence and U.S. casualties has called that prediction into question.