Iraq Withdrawal on Schedule

This tidbit can either be interpreted as good news or an attempt at damage control given the recent spike in violence in Iraq. Speaking today on CNN's State of the Union, General Raymond Odierno said the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq is on schedule for August 2010 but that adjustments could be made in the next 18 months. Odierno didn't just paint a rosy picture, however: He said "very serious incidents" remain a threat to any semblance of normalcy in Iraq. The general also reiterated the now familiar statement that the Iraqi forces must stand up so that U.S. troops could stand down. "Part of the judgment will be how much can they do…how much U.S. forces are needed in order to continue to support them to keep the stability that we're starting to see in Iraq."