I've already pointed out in another thread that the reason the situation in Iraq has improved lately has nothing to do with any alleged success of the "surge" and everything to do with the overreaching by al-Qaeda in Iraq--especially their efficient alienating of their fellow Moslems, above all their fellow Sunnis-- by their insistence on their brand of Moslem Puritanism. An insistence they are enforcing by maiming and murder.

And since al-Qaeda in Iraq has thereby relegated itself to a bit part in Iraqi politics, there is no danger it can take over in Iraq--though this is the threat we have heard constantly from GWB and now McCain.

Their argument for our staying in Iraq--except in "Kurdistan" where we are actually wanted, and our military presence serves the purpose of deterring any rash moves against the PKK by the Turks--- is now destroyed.    So we can and should withdraw our combat troops from non-Kurdish Iraq---now.

This is not what McCain is saying.   And it's far closer to what Obama says.