Less noticed is his promise that he will listen to military commanders and react to events on the ground -- caveats that give him wide latitude.
Obama says he wants to keep a "follow-on force" in Iraq that would fight terrorists, protect U.S. forces and facilities, and train Iraqi forces. Obama has not provided an estimate of how large that force might be.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday, May 17, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 36 words Type of Material: Correction
Iraq war positions: In some editions, an article in Friday's Section A about the Iraq war positions of Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama misidentified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) as House majority leader.
In a debate with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on April 16 in Philadelphia, Obama said: "I will always listen to our commanders on the ground with respect to tactics. Once I've given them a new mission . . . we are going to proceed deliberately, in an orderly fashion, out of Iraq."
He continued: "If they come to me and want to adjust tactics, then I will certainly take their recommendations into consideration. But ultimately, the buck stops with me as the commander in chief."
Samantha Power, a former close advisor to Obama, stirred controversy this year by suggesting in two interviews that Obama's promise to withdraw all combat troops within 16 months was only a "best-case scenario." Power is the advisor who resigned from the campaign in March after describing Clinton as a "monster."
Some antiwar activists say they fear that Obama may not be as committed as they are to quickly withdrawing U.S. forces.
Tim Carpenter of Progressive Democrats of America said his group had been working for the Democrat in hopes that he would come around to a stronger conviction about the need to depart Iraq quickly.
"We missed the Obama bandwagon," he joked.
If Obama turned out to be more cautious, or McCain more moderate, it would come as no surprise to America's European allies and Arab partners in the region. Diplomats from the countries have said they discount pledges of drastic policy departures as campaign rhetoric.
Many doubt that a new president would risk his term by ordering a withdrawal that could strengthen Iran, distress Israel and cause regional upheaval.
A senior European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity in keeping with diplomatic protocol, predicted recently that there would prove to be little difference in how the candidates acted on Iraq -- or for that matter, on Iran or on policy toward Israel and its Arab neighbors.
"I'm not sure they will have a very different foreign policy at all," he said.
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paul.richter@latimes.com
