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Obama Makes War Gains
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Asked whether the administration would prefer that the Iraqis not talk about specific dates, she replied, "We don't think that talking about specific negotiating tactics or your negotiating position in the press is the best way to negotiate a deal. However, we understand that they're a sovereign country and they'll be able to do that. We're just not going to do it on our end."
If there was a strategic goal for Obama's trip to Afghanistan and Iraq, it was to broaden the debate from focusing largely on his proposal to withdraw combat forces from Iraq over a 16-month period to the question of whether the conflict in Iraq has sapped the United States' ability to combat the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.
As Obama prepared for his trip, almost all the focus was on his troop withdrawal plan for Iraq -- and there was considerable criticism that his firm deadline ignored any consideration of conditions on the ground.
McCain led the criticism, saying Obama was wrong about the troop increase and was naive to establish such a short and seemingly rigid timeline for leaving Iraq. From Iraq, some military commanders weighed in as well, raising doubts as to the wisdom of Obama's proposal.
Over the weekend, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also raised questions about setting such a timetable, calling it "very dangerous" to establish a deadline of about two years from now for withdrawing troops.
Against this criticism, Obama appeared determined not just to defend his timetable, but also to shift the focus of the debate. He used his speech to link the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to argue that the conflict in Iraq continues to deplete the U.S. military's capacity to wage what he called the more important war, in Afghanistan.
McCain and Obama agree that more troops are needed in Afghanistan, but they remain far apart on how the war in Iraq fits into this equation, just as they remain at odds over the terms of ending U.S. involvement in Iraq. That debate will continue to play out between now and November with more turbulence ahead, resulting from the twists and turns of the past three days.
