Obama calling for phased withdrawal beginning in '07 (CNN)

[Perky]

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama called Monday for U.S. troops to start leaving Iraq in 2007, arguing that the threat of an American pullout is the best leverage Washington has left in the conflict.

"The time for waiting in Iraq is over. It is time to change our policy," said Obama, a freshman Democrat from Illinois touted as a possible national candidate in 2008.

"It is time to give Iraqis their country back, and it is time to refocus America's efforts on the wider struggle yet to be won."

Obama's speech to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs came as the debate over Iraq policy has heated up in Washington, with policy makers making proposals that range from a phased withdrawal that begin in four to six months to an increase in troop strength.

cnn.com

[Mass]

1. Well, this is Levin's position. Nothing very new or original.

But I am happy he is talking out.

[Perky]

3. Yeah and now he can get some additional cover because the Pentagon is discussing "options" as well

And to be honest he was opposed to the war when he was running... so it is not like he is jumping on the bandwagon. Still it will be interesting to see how much he leads on this issue.

[Mass]

6. This is the position that was voted by nearly all Democrats in May 06.

Tell me how he is leading?

I am happy that he has spoken out and I do not think it is not the first time he did, but this is the position that most Dems agree with. Only 3 or 4 Dems in the Senate voted against it and only 13 dems in the Senate voted for Kerry-Feingold that would have imposed a deadline.

[endarkenment]

2. Define '07'.

Any plan that doesn't start in the next three months is just more bullshit as far as I am concerned.

[elehhhhna]

4. Yep...

very controversial statement there, Obama. lol he bores me.

[Perky]

5. Gessh. '07 is just 6 weeks away. cut him a little slack

If his plans begines March 1, you think his plan is bullshit?

[Disturbed]

7. Remember this plan?

Kucinich 10 point plan

1. The United States must ask the United Nations to manage the oil assets of Iraq until the Iraqi people are self-governing.

2.The United Nations must handle all the contracts: No more Halliburton sweetheart deals, No contracts to Bush Administration insiders, No contracts to campaign contributors. All contracts must be awarded under transparent conditions.

3. The United States must renounce any plans to privatize Iraq. It is illegal under both the Geneva and the Hague Conventions for any nation to invade another nation, seize its assets, and sell those assets. The Iraqi people, and the Iraqi people alone must have the right to determine the future of their country's resources.

4. The United States must ask the United Nations to handle the transition to Iraqi self-governance. The UN must be asked to help the Iraqi people develop a Constitution. The UN must assist in developing free and fair elections.

5. The United States must agree to pay for what we blew up.

6. The United States must pay reparations to the families of innocent Iraqi civilian noncombatants killed and injured in the conflict.

7. The United States must contribute financially to the UN peacekeeping mission.

8. The United Nations, through its member nations, will commit 130,000 peacekeepers to Iraq on a temporary basis until the Iraqi people can maintain their own security.

9. UN troops will rotate into Iraq, and all US troops will come home.

10. The United States will abandon policies of "preemption" and unilateralism and commit to strengthening the UN.

[Starlight]

9. Kucinich never gets the credit he deserves.

[Mass]

8. The issue is to know how long it will take to withdraw a substantial number of troops.

This is something that neither Levin nor Obama apparently address, except if there is more to his speech than the CNN piece you posted.

[endarkenment]

10. No march 1 would be within 90 days of 1/1/2007.

I did cut him exactly the little slack the plan deserves. Excuse my skepticism, but I have been hearing lots of variations on 'the next 6 months are critical' themes for the Stay the Course, Cannot Afford to Fail War Party crowd, of which Obama is unfortunately a member, and I want to know exactly what he means by '2007'.

The people voted to end the war and now the War Party is scrambling to find some way to fool the people into accepting more war.