President Obama heads to one of the nation\u2019s most storied military bases Friday morning to unveil plans to pull most troops out of Iraq by August 2010 and he has support from an unlikely quarter \u201d\u201d Senator John McCain, the Republican he beat in last year\u2019s election.<\/p>\n
Mr. McCain and other Republicans emerged from a meeting with Mr. Obama at the White House on Thursday evening reassured that the president\u2019s withdrawal plan is responsible and reasonable. After securing assurances from Mr. Obama that he would reconsider his plans if violence increases, Mr. McCain and the Republicans expressed cautious support.<\/p>\n
The convergence of Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain on Iraq would have seemed highly improbable just a few months ago, when they clashed sharply on the future of the American mission there. Mr. McCain accused Mr. Obama of being na\u00c3\u00afve and opposed his withdrawal plans. At one point, Mr. McCain said Mr. Obama \u201cwould rather lose a war than lose a campaign.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Aides to the president said Mr. Obama approved his withdrawal plan at a meeting with his national security team Wednesday and would tell an audience of several thousand Marines and their families at Camp Lejeune, N.C., on Friday that he is bringing the current phase of the war to a close in August 2010.<\/p>\n