Iraqi PM backs Obama troop exit plan: report  —  BERLIN (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told a German magazine he supported prospective U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that U.S. troops should leave Iraq within 16 months.

Iraq Leader Maliki Supports Obama's Withdrawal Plans  —  In an interview with SPIEGEL, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Barack Obama's 16 timeframe for a withdrawal from Iraq is the right one.  —  Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supports US presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan …

Obama Opens a Foreign Tour in Afghanistan  —  KABUL, Afghanistan — Senator Barack Obama arrived in Afghanistan on Saturday, opening a high-stakes foreign trip in a country that is increasingly the focus of his clash with Senator John McCain in the presidential campaign over whether the war …

Maliki: Obama's 16-month timetable sounds good; Update: Spiegel changes quote  —  Here's the exchange from Spiegel's English translation, duly hyped by Reuters as tacit evidence of Liberal Jesus's foreign-policy sagacity. … The unasked follow-up question: How about the 14-month timetable …

It's Over  —  Not much to say here.  Other than the fact that this is a huge huge huge deal.  Article speaks for itself. … And … And … Is there anything left to say?

Al-Maliki's Announcement: A Big Deal  —  This could be one of those unexpected events that forever changes the way the world perceives an issue.  Iraq's Prime Minister agrees with Obama, and there's no wiggle room or fudge factor.  This puts John McCain in an extremely precarious spot …

McCain Campaign Responds To Al-Maliki  —  “His domestic politics require him to be for us getting out,” said a senior McCain campaign official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.  “The military says ‘conditions based’ and Maliki said ‘conditions based’ yesterday in the joint statement with Bush.

MALIKI BACKS BARACK OBAMA'S IRAQ PLAN.  —  To really understand the importance of Maliki's comments, you need to consider their opposite.  Imagine if Maliki had walked in front of the cameras and said, “at this stage, a timetable for withdrawal is unrealistic, and we hope our American friends …

BIG DEAL?  NO ... BIGGER  —  I've spent a couple hours now trying to process the probable impact of Prime Minister al Maliki's explicit endorsement of Barack Obama's 16 month timetable for withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.  My first instinct is always to try not to overstate the impact of momentary developments.

Brown Says No ‘Artificial Timetable’ for Iraq Troop Withdrawal  —  U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would not set “an artificial timetable” for withdrawing British troops from Iraq, though progress toward a reduction is being made.  —  “It is certainly our intention that we reduce our troops …