Senator Barack Obama ``welcomes'' news that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki supports his call for the U.S. to withdraw troops in about 16 months, according to a statement from an adviser to the Democratic presidential candidate.
``This presents an important opportunity to transition to Iraqi responsibility, while restoring our military and increasing our commitment to finish the fight in Afghanistan,'' Susan Rice, senior national security adviser for Obama's presidential campaign, said in an e-mailed statement today.
``The Americans have had a difficult time agreeing to a concrete time table for a pullout because they believe this would be perceived as a defeat,'' Maliki told the magazine.
``But that is not the case.''
