Dems Stonewall on Pullout Deadline

None of the three leading Democratic White House contenders were willing last night to guarantee that they would get US troops out of Iraq by 2013. During a Democratic debate at Dartmouth College, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards—who all support a timetable for troop withdrawal—each declined to commit to an exit deadline, even one five years hence, reports the Washington Post.

"We would get combat troops out of Iraq," said Sen.Obama. "I will drastically reduce our presence there," vowed Sen. Clinton. Both said they would keep troops in Iraq for counter-terrorism and other missions. "To me, that's a continuation of the war," remarked Edwards. (More Democratic debate stories.)