Obama drops visit to wounded U.S. troops in Germany

By Caren Bohan

PARIS (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama dropped a plan to visit wounded U.S. troops in Germany on Friday amid concerns the stop would be viewed as a political event.

The Pentagon said arrangements had been put in place for Obama to visit Landstuhl Regional Medical Center as a U.S. senator, without his campaign staff, as political activity is forbidden on U.S. military facilities.

But an Obama adviser said the candidate was concerned the trip would have been viewed as a campaign event.

"Senator Obama did not want to have a trip to see our wounded warriors perceived as a campaign event when his visit was to show his appreciation for our troops, and decided instead not to go," said retired Maj. Gen. Scott Gration, who advises Obama on national security matters.

Gration said the Pentagon told Obama's campaign that the military would consider the visit a campaign event.

But the Pentagon insisted it had been ready to welcome Obama at the hospital -- without his campaign staff or accompanying reporters.

"We advised that Sen. Obama would be welcome to visit Landstuhl or any other military hospital in his capacity as a U.S. senator, but his campaign staff would not," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said.

Obama recently visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the flagship military hospital in Washington, on that basis, Morrell said.  Continued...