Officials: Obama Moved Toward Brass on Pullout

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Officials: Obama Moved Toward Brass on Pullout

By Jennifer Loven - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Feb 28, 2009 9:07:10 EST

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama leaned heavily toward field commanders’ preferences in settling a time frame for ending the war in Iraq, as he weighed the fervent desires of the anti-war community that propelled him into office and the equally strong worries of the generals commanding troops in the war zone.

“To this very day, there are some Americans who want to stay in Iraq longer, and some who want to leave faster,” Obama said in making the announcement Friday, summing up a debate that has divided the country like no other since the former President George W. Bush launched the U.S. invasion six years ago.

Obama’s description suggests he arrived at a split-down-the-middle compromise with one of the first and most important tasks of his young presidency.

But accounts of the process from officials in the White House, at the Pentagon and across the administration, who all requested anonymity so they could speak more candidly about behind-the-scenes discussions, show otherwise.

At stake was the promise that most defined and drove Obama’s successful presidential bid: to bring all combat troops home — effectively, to end the war — 16 months after taking office.

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