With an eye to President-Elect Obama, the Pentagon is developing plans to pull troops out of Iraq!

[ClarkUSA]

Finally!! Looks like President Obama is going to hit the ground running on January 21, 2009. Here's the AP story:

Mullen says US military can meet Obama's demands

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top U.S. military officer said Tuesday the Pentagon is developing plans to get troops quickly out of
Iraq and into Afghanistan to battle a more confident and successful Taliban.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the AP in an interview that the military has already identified and
practiced traveling out of Iraq along exit routes through Turkey and Jordan to determine "what the challenges might be." The
governments in those two countries, he said, have supported that effort.

While he was careful to note that he is still following the orders of President Bush, Mullen said he was clearly aware of
President-elect Barack Obama's battle plan to withdraw from Iraq in 16 months.

"I've been listening to the campaign, and I understand," Mullen said. "And he has certainly reinforced that since the election,
so from a planning standpoint we are looking at that as well."

He said he is working to get as many troops into Afghanistan as quickly as possible and noted he's not surprised that Taliban
leaders said this week that they would not entertain settlement talks with the Afghan government as long as foreign forces
remained in the country.

"It's my belief that you negotiate from a position of strength and right now the Taliban is doing pretty well," said Mullen. "I
think that's important as we discuss how we negotiate, and with whom we negotiate, that we do so from a position of strength."

Watch out, Bin Laden. Renegade is coming after you to finish the job.

[trayfoot]

1. THis is unbelievably GREAT!!!!!!!!

[Thrill]

2. Is Obama keeping him on as Joints Chief?

[ClarkUSA]

3. Who knows? But it seems likely: Mullen seems like a good guy & it'd make sense to keep continuity

Obama is in talks to keep Gates on, according to reports I've read tonight. It's a smart idea... again, to keep things flowing
until he settles on someone better.

[frogcycle]

4. Joints Chief?

Now there is a job I could get accustomed to.

Hell, I'd even be Joints Assistant.