Biden Starts Swing Through Southwest Asia

VP-elect in Pakistan today; expected to visit India, Afghanistan

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 9, 2009 5:45 AM CST

(Newser) – Joe Biden arrived in Pakistan today at the start of a tour of Southwest Asia, AFP reports. The vice-president-elect is leading a congressional delegation that includes Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. Talks with President Asif Ali Zardari and other Pakistani leaders are likely to focus on the war on terror and relations with India, expected to be Biden's next stop.

Biden has stressed that he is visiting Asia as a senator rather than as a representative of the incoming administration, but analysts say the visit will carry a lot more weight in light of Obama's promise to shift the focus of the war on terror to the region. Biden's office is keeping his itinerary under wraps for security reasons, although the senator himself recently told reporters he would be visiting Iraq and Afghanistan as well as Pakistan.

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Joe Biden has a word with Vice President Dick Cheney during ceremonial swearing-in, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Vice President-Elect Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., talks with George Stephanopoulos during the taping of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" Friday, Dec. 19, 2008 in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/ABC News, Lauren Victoria Burke)

Lindsey Graham speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at a U.S. base in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008. Graham is accompanying Joe Biden on his Asian tour. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

Vice President-elect, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., center, stands with his wife Jill, right, after taking part in an re-enactment of the ceremonial Senate swearing-in, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009, in the Old Senate... (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Vice President Dick Cheney, right, administers the Senate oath to Vice President-elect, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., during a re-enactment ceremonial swearing-in ceremony, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009, in the Old... (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Vice President-elect, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., left, stands with his son Hunter during a re-enactment of the Senate oath ceremony, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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What I hope to accomplish is to get sort of a baseline. This will be my God knows how many trips, I guess my 10th or 11th trip into Iraq and I don't know how many times in Afghanistan and Pakistan. - Joe Biden

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Biden Starts Swing Through Southwest Asia