Presidential Candidate Obama Introduces Withdrawal Resolution

From CNN World Headquarters

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama, a possible Democratic presidential contender, introduced binding legislation Tuesday that would bring all U.S. combat troops in Iraq home by the spring of 2008.

Obama's bill would stop President Bush's plan to send more than 21,000 additional troops into the conflict-ridden country to try to put a stop to insurgent and sectarian violence there. Instead, the Illinois senator is calling for troops to begin leaving by May 1, 2007.

Obama has formed an exploratory committee to look into a possible run for the Democratic nomination for president and plans an official announcement next month.

The senator's plan caps the number of troops in Iraq at the roughly 135,000 there on Jan. 10, 2007 -- when Bush announced he was dispatching more troops -- and lays down 13 benchmarks for the Iraqi government in the areas of security, political accommodation and economic progress. Should those benchmarks be met, the plan would allow for the "temporary suspension" of the troop withdrawal. (Posted 7:44 p.m.)

Almost everybody believes that the war in Iraq is a loss. The President is holding on way too long. I sincerely hope that this passes. As was pointed out today by prominent GOP Senator Arlen Specter -- "Bush is not the only decider."