(I)t seems worthwhile to point out that, by Mr. Obama's own account, neither U.S. commanders nor Iraq's principal political leaders actually support his strategy.
We know Gen. Petraeus believes the withdrawal, when it happens, should be guided by events on the ground in Iraq. The editorial points out that Prime Minister Maliki essentially agrees with the general:
Mr. Maliki's timetable would extend at least seven months beyond Mr. Obama's. More significant, it would be "a timetable which Iraqis set" -- not the Washington-imposed schedule that Mr. Obama has in mind. It would also be conditioned on the readiness of Iraqi forces, the same linkage that Gen. Petraeus seeks.
In other words, Obama does not have their support for an unconditional withdrawal in 16 months, although he would like you to think he does. Way to go, WaPo.
