The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
December 18, 2008

Commanders Offer Obama Iraq Time Line Beyond Stated 16-Month Withdrawal Pledge
------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Top US military commanders have presented President-elect Obama with an
Iraq withdrawal timetable that doesn’t match Obama’s campaign promise
for a pullout within sixteen months. The plan, drafted by General David
Petraeus and General Ray Odierno, would leave US combat troops in Iraq
beyond Obama’s stated May 2010 deadline. Obama has said he intends to
keep the sixteen-month pledge but would listen to his commanders’
advice. Whatever advice he takes, Obama’s plan would still leave tens of
thousands of US troops behind in a so-called “support” role to the Iraqi
army.



.