How will this all play out????

As expected, Barack Obama met with Iraqi P.M. al-Maliki. No problem there, but then he issued a statement following saying they had agreed on an aspirational timeline for redeployment of U.S. troops by, say, 2010.

The criticizm comes because Obama is interpreted as acting presumptive as "Commander in Chief".

Don't get me wrong, I am generally pleased that the Iraqis are starting to talk about us leaving. At some point they have to hold their country together on their own.... or at least with very little assistance. I just wonder if it is correct to telegraph this to the media to score political points.

al-Maliki is not the strongest leader... He may just be trying to raise his popularity by saying they are ready to run the country on their own. I hope they are and I hope the idiot terrorists wake up and realize that the country as a whole could make a lot of money if they just got together and shared the oil money. I don't know what exactly Bush wanted out of this deal, but I want these proud people to step up to the plate and take over!

Well, I'm not sure how Obama's statement to the press will play out. He shouldn't be presumptive, yet he has to be prepared for the possibility he could get elected.