McCain, Obama try to clarify Iraq stances

WASHINGTON, July 9 (UPI) -- The major party presidential candidates are fine-tuning their plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, their campaigns say, now that Baghdad wants a timetable.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., says he wants U.S. combat troops pulled out of Iraq "carefully," while Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is rethinking his position on timetables after the U.S.-backed Iraqi leadership made such a request part of a security agreement, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

In a statement, Iraqi President Nouri al-Maliki said Monday the two countries should consider the future presence of U.S. troops in Iraq with "a memorandum of understanding to put a timetable on their withdrawal." The U.N. mandate providing the legal basis for U.S. combat troops in Iraq expires at the end of 2008.

McCain's camp didn't criticize Maliki, saying his comments were consistent with Republican nominee's position. McCain has criticized Obama for advocating a timetable.

"Senator McCain has always said that conditions on the ground -- including the security threats posed by extremists and terrorists, and the ability of Iraqi forces to meet those threats -- would be key determinants in U.S. force levels," senior adviser Randy Scheunemann said.

Obama restated his commitment to withdraw from Iraq, adding it has always been tempered with caution.

"I have also consistently said, once we were in, we had to be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in, because once you get in you've got to make sure our troops are safe," he said. "So what I've called for is a phased withdrawal, a phased redeployment."