Obama's balancing act on Iraq withdrawal strategy

[Turborama]

By Jennifer Loven – 41 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama leaned heavily toward field commanders' preferences in setting a time frame for an Iraq pullout as he weighed the fervent desires of anti-war supporters who propelled him into office and the equally strong worries of war generals.

"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 his 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,http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hV_us4dhM1qfmBeiTekY8RQV3DrAD96KMI400">show otherwise.