Setting dates for withdrawal is something Democrats have been advocating for years, but it took Maliki's suggestion that we've worn out our welcome for Republicans in Washington to catch on. Even now, McCain is misrepresenting Obama's position, claiming that Obama "...advocates an unconditional withdrawal that ignores the facts on the ground and the advice of our top military commanders." and that "...whether we leave with victory and honor, [which] is of no apparent concern to Barack Obama.". Both statements by McCain's spokesliar are completely fabricated and intended to draw criticism away from McCain's misguided Iraq policy. Obama's position is very clear, as he explains in a Military Times interview.

I’ve said this repeatedly from the start, and so I welcome the opportunity to correct the record. This whole notion that I would initiate a precipitous withdrawal just isn’t borne out by anything that I’ve said. What I have repeatedly said from the start, when I introduced my first piece of legislation on this issue in January of 2007 is that we should be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in. That we should send a clear message to Iraqi leadership that we are not going to engage in a permanent occupation in Iraq and that we are not going to have permanent bases there. That we want to bring a gradual withdrawal of our combat forces, that we would maintain a counterterrorism force in the region that could continue to keep al-Qaida on the run. That we would continue to have a protective force for our embassy, our civilian and humanitarian forces and that we would continue to train Iraqis both army and police, so long as those who are being trained were not falling back into sectarian patterns. And I have always said that as commander in chief I will absolutely seek the advice and counsel of our generals and our commanders on the field, not just our generals, but our mid-level officers and those who are on the ground doing the fighting.

Despite the clarity of Obama's statement, the McCain camp is going to try to distort it to suit their purpose -- that if Democrats advocate for a withdrawal timeline, it's 'cut and run', even if it's not, but if Republicans do it, it's 'not cut and run'. They're going to have to work on the phrasing of that a little, it's a bit too straightforward. Not to worry, I'm sure the Republican spin machine will come up with something clever. I'd advise against using 'cut and run' and 'horizon' in the same talking point, though. There's really no context in which that'll work.

Maliki seems to like the Obama 16 month plan, as reported by Der Spiegel via the LA Times

When asked in an interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks U.S. troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

Of course, that was Sen. Kerry's plan in June 2006, in January 2007, in July 2007 and dozens of times before, between and since. He started a website to bring attention to the need to set dates, something most reasonable people do when they plan to finish something. Mind you, that's reasonable people. McCain called a timeline based on meeting benchmarks “a major step on the road to disaster” in 2005, and just weeks ago, McCain said it was "not too important" when our troops come home. Well, Sen. McCain, I think the troops believe it's pretty important, and if the reaction to Obama's arrival in the Middle East is any indication, they seem more than OK with him. Not to mention (but I will) the man's got game.

Setatimehorizon.com isn't quite as catchy as setadeadline, but if it gets us out of Iraq and allows us to focus on the real threat in Pakistan and Afghanistan, then I'm good with it.

Here's a bit of video of one of the many times Sen. Kerry has advocated for a timeline for redeployment. I'd post them all, but his position has been so consistent from the beginning, this one should do.