Reply #62: According to Clark, when should we begin withdrawing troops? [View All]

[lillilbigone]

You seem to be one of the more reasonable posters in this thread so perhaps you could do me the favor of explaining this nuance of Clark's position on Iraq. He's against beginning to withdraw troops in the next six months. He's against setting a timetable for withdrawing. He is in favor of maintaining our current troop levels while we:

# Establish an effective, sustained shuttle diplomacy within the region.

# Form a high-level interagency diplomatic team, representing the White House and secretaries of State and Defense and led by an experienced, respected diplomat.

# Begin talks within Iraq, and with all its neighbors, based on a clear set of principles outlined by the team. The goal would be to seek the commitments necessary to achieve our aims inside Iraq and also advance U.S. interests in the region.
http://securingamerica.com/node/1961

So my question is, when, according to Clark, should we begin to withdraw? What will be the signal, what will be the tipping point that will change his position from "don't begin to withdraw troops" to "begin to withdraw troops"? And what do we do if we never see that signal? What do we do if diplomacy does not achieve the desired objectives? And when do we decide we've reached that point?



tia