Politician proposes timetable for withdrawal from Iraq

The exact sort of thing McCain and his neocon advisors insist is impossible and will undermine all the “progress” 5+ years and $3,000,000,000,000 has bought. But this particular politician is the Prime Minister of Iraq:

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has for the first time suggested establishing a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, a step that the Bush administration has long opposed.

Maliki raised the idea Monday during a visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he spoke with Arab ambassadors about a security pact being negotiated to determine the future U.S. military role in Iraq.

“The current trend is to reach an agreement on a memorandum of understanding either for the departure of the forces or a memorandum of understanding to put a timetable on their withdrawal,” Maliki said, according to a statement released by his office. “In all cases, the basis for any agreement will be respect for the full sovereignty of Iraq.”

The comments reflect the political dilemma confronting Maliki and other members of his Shiite-led government. Their primary rival in upcoming provincial elections, Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, is a leading critic of the American presence who has long called for a timetable, a position that is widely popular among Iraq’s majority Shiites.

Meanwhile, in a masterpiece of ill-timing, the WaPo’s increasingly pathetic editorial page applauds Obama for a supposed retreat from a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq — a position which Obama has not yet taken — which timetable, of course is what Maliki is seeking in order to allay domestic concerns among his constituents that the absence of a timetable augurs a permanent American presence, and threatens to undermine thin support for his government. Heckuva job, WaPo.

Associated Press: Iraq insists on withdrawal timetable for US troops

Iraq’s national security adviser said Tuesday his country will not accept any security deal with the United States unless it contains specific dates for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces.

The comments by Mouwaffak al-Rubaie were the strongest yet by an Iraqi official about the deal now under negotiation with U.S. officials. They came a day after Iraq’s prime minister first said publicly that he expects the pending troop deal with the United States to have some type of timetable for withdrawal.

McCain says that withdrawal cannot be be set “by an artificial timetable.” But the Iraqis are now insisting on a timetable. Maybe we can invade Iraq all over again, if McCain becomes president.