US:BARACK OBAMA has rebuked former Nato commander Wesley Clark for disparaging John McCain's military service, as Republicans denounced the remarks as "deeply shocking".
During a speech on patriotism in Independence, Missouri, Mr Obama praised his opponent's military service as evidence of the Republican's willingness to sacrifice on behalf of a larger cause.
"For those like John McCain who have endured physical torment in service to our country - no further proof of such sacrifice is necessary. And let me also add that no one should ever devalue that service, especially for the sake of a political campaign, and that goes for supporters on both sides," Mr Obama said.
Gen Clark, a former supporter of Hillary Clinton now backing Mr Obama, said on Sunday that Mr McCain's experience in Vietnam did not provide the Republican with the executive experience necessary to be president. "I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president," he said.
Mr McCain said yesterday that Gen Clark's remarks were not an isolated incident, but he added that there was no way of knowing how much involvement Mr Obama had in those comments.
Mr Obama said he would never question anyone's patriotism, but said his own commitment to his country had been cast into doubt during the campaign.
"I have always taken my deep and abiding love for this country as a given. It was how I was raised; it is what propelled me into public service; it is why I am running for president," he said. "And yet, at certain times over the last 16 months, I have found, for the first time, my patriotism challenged - at times as a result of my own carelessness, more often as a result of the desire by some to score political points and raise fears about who I am and what I stand for."
Mr Obama has battled rumours about his background, including the false claim he was educated at a radical Muslim school in Indonesia. He said yesterday that spending time outside the US as a child had deepened his commitment to the principles set out in the Declaration of Independence.
"For a young man of mixed race, without firm anchor in any particular community, without even a father's steadying hand, it is this essential American idea - that we are not constrained by the accident of birth but can make of our lives what we will - that has defined my life, just as it has defined the life of so many other Americans," he said.
This week's July 4th holiday is expected to mark the start of a two-month lull in the presidential campaign as Americans go on holiday and events such as the Olympics dominate media coverage.
Mr McCain travels to Colombia this week and Mr Obama will next month make a trip to Europe and the Middle East. The Democratic candidate said he wanted to discuss issues that the next US president could only tackle successfully with the help of European partners.
"I think what's important is not only encouraging their ongoing involvement and support in areas like Afghanistan and on the military side, but also to discuss a wide range of economic issues," he said.
"There are certain issues like climate change that can't be addressed without the participation of the Europeans as well, so that's going to be something that hopefully we'll be working on over a long period of time. But when it comes to nuclear proliferation, Iran, those are issues where we've got to act in concert with our allies."