The Republican National Committee has just unleashed a tough new radio attack ad that hits Obama for voting against the Iraq supplemental without withdrawal timelines last year, casting it as a vote against funding our troops in wartime:

In a somewhat puckish touch, the ad, which is timed to coincide with Obama's trip to Berlin, will run in Berlin, PA; Berlin, WI; and Berlin, NH.

"If Obama can't rise above politics to support our soldiers in a time of war, then how can he claim to have the strength to change the way Washington works?" the ad concludes. "John McCain is ready to lead. Barack Obama is not."

That last clause contrasting the candidates on readiness to lead represents a bit of a sharpening of the GOP message attacking Obama, something Republicans have struggled with, and foreshadows what's ahead.

That said, if Obama voted against funding the troops because he opposed a supplemental without timelines last spring, than McCain, too, voted against funding the troops when he opposed the other supplemental that did have timelines.

Full script after the jump.

Late Update: Just to clarify, the ad is running in the Johnstown-Altoona market in PA, the Green Bay-Appleton market in WI, and the Portland-Auburn market in NH.

Late Late Update: Obama spokesperson Hari Sevugan responds:

"There are honest differences between Senator Obama's position on Iraq and Senator McCain's, but there's no question that both support our troops. Under the RNC's definition, John McCain would have also chosen politics over our military when he urged George Bush to veto funding for the troops, and we know that's not the case. This is the sort of distasteful and misleading attack from the Rove playbook that the American people are tired of, that does nothing to give our troops the equipment they need, and distracts from the honest debate we should be having about how we can keep the country secure."

Title: "Obama Chooses Washington Over Our Military"

There are few votes as important as funding our men and women in uniform.

But when our military needed necessary resources, Barack Obama failed to stand up.

Obama said that nobody wanted to play chicken with our troops on the ground.

But when it came time to act, he voted against critical resources: no to individual body armor, no to helicopters, no to ammunition, no to aircraft.

The bill Obama opposed even had funding for veterans' medical facilities and rehabilitation programs.

And why did he say no?

Obama chose Washington politics over the needs of our military.

And Senator McCain?

As a veteran and someone who has always put the public interest first, John McCain stood by our troops.

If Obama can't rise above politics to support our soldiers in a time of war, then how can he claim to have the strength to change the way Washington works?

John McCain is ready to lead. Barack Obama is not.