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And that is we will leave when we're done here. and we won't leave until we're done here. i mean, he is channeling george w. bush, right? >> you've got a split down the middle of this administration. the pentagon, the secretary of state all want to do a conditions based when essentially means no withdrawal other than a token amount so the president can say he made good on his pledge. on the other side, you have the white house and the political advisers who want to do a real beginning of a draw-down. i think what -- >> but, richard, obviously, we know the up side of putting general petraeus in...

A conditions-based withdrawal. he's focused on making the case for more progress in the war effort before there would be any kind of significant drawdown. >> that's really news. he's got so much power and clout right now. i can't imagine the white house going up against this general. there is so much political pressure on the president to try to do that draw-down and try to make it more significant on july 1st next year. >> you know, i spoke to the general as well about the comparisons to iraq, because in some cases, they're so apt. if you go back to 2006, the worst days of the iraq war, so ma...

>> and, john, you know, i know it's august and the controversy goes on but there's something to be said. around town, people are saying, hey what he said was accurate. probably shouldn't have said it. >> this is an interesting debate. i'm going to use the magic wall. we have a virtual white house briefing room here. let's go inside this debate. he says, look, the president came to office, washington is a tough town, and look at all these things they've done the left wanted. they passed financial reform. they passed the big stimulus bill. they passed other jobs legislation. they're beginning th...

Obviously, should not have been. any indication to you why? >> i don't think it was a comfort issue as most of the sort of things that you might call controversial were said within the first 24 hours literally. but i think -- but i think what they were saying was an expression of very clear frustration towards the policy. perhaps they chose the wrong form to express it in. but their criticisms and their critique, you know, should not just be discounted because they were said so colorfully and entertainingly. i think, you know, there are series issues about series questions about the commitment...

Surface and mcconnell was right saying that the withdrawal of the troops, the draw down was negotiated by the public administration. in response to iraqi demandses, not as a concession to the american left the he made the decisions on what he thought were the american national interests. and the surge was something that obama opposed. that is the only reason we are now in a position to drawdown. >> what is disturbing is in the speech he spoke of ending the war four times, and did not use the word "success," and he did not speak about a vision for a future of america and iraq together. when the...