…Sen. Barack Obama has gone to see it firsthand. 

At least he’s looking at the facts.

Obama advocates ending the U.S. combat role in Iraq by withdrawing troops at the rate of one to two combat brigades a month. He said this past week that the war in Iraq has become a distraction from fighting terrorism in Afghanistan and keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of rogue regimes.

Obama supports increasing the military commitment to Afghanistan, where the Taliban has been resurgent and Usama bin Laden is believed to be hiding.

McCain, in his radio address released Saturday, criticized Obama for announcing his strategy for both countries before departing on his “fact-finding mission” abroad.

For all the talk this week about media celebrities joining him (what happened to the big three network news anchors reportedly tagging along?), he actually snuck out and made his way quietly to Afghanistan. Chicago Tribune’s political reporter John McCormick was one of two journalists who flew to Washington with him beforehand.

McCormick says the senator then was asked whether he plans to deliver some tough talk to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki about doing more to stand up as the instruments of self-governance in their own nations.

“Well, you know, I’m more interested in listening than doing a lot of talking,” Obama replied. “And I think it is very important to recognize that I’m going over there as a U.S. senator. We have one president at a time, so it’s the president’s job to deliver those messages.”

Good answers, both.

His campaign is taking great care to continue providing them.

Obama’s trip is the first time a U.S. presidential candidate has gone on such a heavily orchestrated and publicized international road show. He will meet with foreign leaders and U.S. officials overseas and attract extensive media attention everywhere he goes. Obama is not expected to announce any policy decisions, and his every word will likely be carefully parsed, to avoid any of the foreign-policy gaffes made in the past.