The Obama campaign welcomed al-Maliki's and al-Rubaie's remarks.

[kevinmc]

McCain, Obama at odds over Iraqi withdrawal demand

.....

The Obama campaign responded by bringing up a comment by McCain from 2004, when he said that if a sovereign Iraqi government asked American forces to quit Iraq, "it's obvious we would have to leave."

"The American people need a strategy for succeeding in Iraq, not just a strategy for staying," said Obama foreign policy advisor Susan Rice.

"John McCain's stubborn refusal to adjust to events on the ground just shows that he has no plan to end this war," she said.....

......

Obama has pledged to get US combat troops out within 16 months, and this week denied claims he was wavering on that undertaking in the light of security gains in Iraq.

On Monday, Obama cast Maliki's remarks as in line with his own policy on Iraq, which McCain has branded a strategy for defeat.

"I think that his statement is consistent with my view about how withdrawals should proceed," the Illinois senator said.

"I think it's encouraging ... that the prime minister himself now acknowledges that in cooperation with Iraq, it's time for American forces to start sending out a timeframe for the withdrawal."......


From Juan Cole - Informed Comment


.......


It also pointed out that McCain had said in 2004 that if the Iraqi government asked the US to withdraw, "it's obvious we would have to leave." Now, McCain's position seems to be that he would like to keep troops in Iraq regardless of what the elected Iraqi government thinks of that.

McCain always had a difficult case to make to the American people about why they needed to expend blood and treasure to stay in Iraq. McCain maintains that it is for their own safety, but polling shows that most people do not buy that argument. Now McCain has to argue for keeping the troops there even though the Iraqi people and even the pro-American prime minister do not want them there.

That position will sound like colonialism to many Americans-- an expensive, sanguinary colonialism that they have to pay for. Individual Americans, including babies, have spent $2,000 each on the Iraq War so far, money a lot of them wish they had back right now (that is $8000 for a family of four.) Between its lack of legitimacy and its cost, they typically don't want it.

[mix]

1. this is a good sign

eom

[Alter Ego]

2. Somewhere, Axelrod and Plouffe are sitting in a room

watching this video and saying, "Some days you gotta ask for it, but on others it just walks right up to you."