Consensus builds for Iraq exit

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By Joseph Curl and Stephen Dinan

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine | Republican Sen. John McCain on Monday drew closer to his Democratic presidential opponent's timetable on Iraq, saying that U.S. troops could be "largely withdrawn" in two years, even as Sen. Barack Obama met with Iraqi leaders who now embrace his withdrawal time frame and with the architect of the troop surge he opposed.

Mr. McCain continued to hammer Mr. Obama for repeatedly railing against last year's troop increase, challenging him to admit he "has been completely wrong" about the surge and its success.

But looking forward, the two candidates are now no longer that far apart on the future of troop deployments in Iraq.

"I think they could be largely withdrawn" within two years, Mr. McCain said at Walker's Point, standing with former President George H.W. Bush, who held a campaign fundraiser for the candidate at his sprawling Maine seaside compound.

"Of course, as we all know, it has to be based on conditions on the ground," the senator added. "It's fragile, but it has to be based on conditions on the ground. Whenever you win wars - and we are winning - we will be able to come home."

Meanwhile, Mr. Obama refused to back the surge, saying even in hindsight, with U.S. casualties down and indications of stability up, he still would have opposed it.

"What I am absolutely convinced of is that at the time, we had to change the political debate, because the view of the Bush administration at that time is one that I just disagreed with," he told ABC News in an interview from Iraq.

Making his first trip to Iraq in more than two years, Mr. Obama met with Gen. David H. Petraeus, the architect of the surge, a day after Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said a time frame for withdrawal could be dangerous.

Mr. Obama said Gen. Petraeus expressed "deep concerns" about a timetable that doesn't take conditions into account, but said as president his job would be to balance commanders' thoughts with the broader national security interests of the country.

Mr. Obama said he will not "get boxed into what I consider two false choices" - an inflexible withdrawal timetable on the one hand, and the Bush strategy on the other.