On the Iraqi Government’s Support for Withdrawal of U.S. Troops From Iraq
July 21st, 2008 by Speaker PelosiPresident Bush has long maintained that the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq should be governed by the situation in Iraq. It is now clear that the situation in Iraq is that Prime Minister al-Maliki and other Iraqi leaders want the withdrawal of our combat forces to be completed within a 16-month period, as recommended by Senator Obama.
The safety of our troops demands that their withdrawal be well-planned. President Bush should direct officials of his Administration to meet immediately with their Iraqi counterparts to draft plans for the secure withdrawal of our forces within the timetable endorsed last week and today by Iraq’s leaders. The honorable, responsible, and safe redeployment of our troops out of Iraq will enable us to refocus on the real war on terrorism in Afghanistan and around the world.