|
|
McCain:
US Withdrawal in Iraq will Come in Time
 (AP) - Republican presidential
candidate John McCain played down reports Tuesday that Iraqi officials
are increasing pressure on the United States to agree to a specific
timeline to withdraw its forces. McCain said he was confident the
government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki would ask American troops
to leave only if the military situation there warranted such a move. "I
know for a fact that it will be dictated by the situation on the
ground, as it always has been," McCain said.
"Since we are succeeding" in Iraq, he said, "then I am convinced, as I
have said before, we can withdraw and withdraw with honor, not
according to a set timetable. And I'm confident that is what Prime
Minister Maliki is talking about, since he has told me that for the
many meetings we have had."
The increased pressure from Iraq comes as time is running out for the
Bush administration to reach a needed troop deal. Some type of
agreement is needed to keep U.S. troops in Iraq after a U.N. mandate
expires Dec. 31.
McCain opposes scheduling a troop withdrawal. Democratic candidate
Barack Obama promises to remove troops within 16 months of taking
office.
An Iraqi proposal for a timeline that was made public Tuesday appears
to set an outer limit, requiring U.S. forces to fully withdraw five
years after the Iraqis take the lead on security nationwide.
"We will not accept any memorandum of understanding that doesn't have
specific dates to withdraw foreign forces from Iraq," Iraq's national
security adviser, Mouwaffak al-Rubaie, said Tuesday.
Rate
this Article:
Tell
Us What You Think.
|
|
|
Subscribe to Our RSS Feed