Obama says Iran big threat to the U.S. and Israel

CHICAGO — Sen. Barack Obama told an audience in Chicago on Friday that he considers Iran "one of the greatest threats to the United States, Israel and world peace" and pledged he would try to end that nation's uranium-enrichment program.

As he criticized the Bush administration's Iraq policies, the presidential candidate suggested the danger posed by neighboring Iran has grown in recent years because of U.S. policy in the Middle East.

"One of the most profound consequences of the administration's failed strategy in Iraq has been to strengthen Iran's strategic position, reduce U.S. credibility and influence in the region, and place Israel and other nations friendly to the United States in greater peril," Obama, D-Ill., said before a regional gathering of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a major pro-Israel lobbying group.

In advance of the group's national conference this month in Washington, where Obama will court donors one-on-one, his campaign had been looking for a friendly audience to make a major policy speech on U.S.-Israel policy.

By speaking to about 800 of the committee's members at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, Obama reaffirmed his support of Israel as voters consider the early presidential field. Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., made a similar speech to the group's members in her home state Feb. 1.

Despite the eagerness of local news crews for him to comment on the topic, Obama made no mention of a report Friday by the Baltimore Sun that he has white ancestors who owned slaves. A spokesman also said he would not be taking any media questions.