Democratic candidates on leaving Iraq

Clinton has said she would order US military commanders to draw up a plan for withdrawing troops within 60 days of her taking office. One of her advisors has said she would do so even if it conflicted with the beliefs of US military commanders in Iraq, a point brought up in a debate in Pennsylvania yesterday. Clinton said her plan to pull out one or two brigades a month is in the best interests of the US. the same question was then put to Obama and he made a similar commitment to withdrawal. Obama said tactical questions are another matter, and there US military commanders should be brought into the debate on that issue. Judging by the debate, both Democratic candidates are making iron clad commitments to withdrawal. GOP candidate McCain has criticized these policies of �surrender and certain defeat,� but not everyone believes the Democratic candidates would actually carry out such withdrawals. This analyst says the candidates have always been careful to talk about the conditions on the ground and the nature of this campaign has made it difficult to have a good and real debate on political issues, because candidates are too worried about having the best kind of soundbyte. He says all candidates are guilty of playing to their political base.