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OBAMA: I believe that the situation in Iraq is more secure than it was a year and a half ago. I believe think that the definition of success depends on how you look at it. Originally, the administration suggested that the key measure was whether it gave breathing room for a political reconciliation. So far, I think we have not seen the kind of political reconciliation that's going to bring about long-term stability in Iraq. But there's no doubt that security has improved. And there's no doubt that the extraordinary sacrifice of American men and women in uniform have contributed to that success. In terms of my conversations with General Petraeus, there's no doubt that General Petraeus does not want a timetable. I mean, I think he said that publicly. And he is -- and, as I said, in his role, I think he wants maximum flexibility to be able to do what he believes needs to be done inside of Iraq. But keep in mind, for example, one of General Petraeus' responsibilities is not to think about how could we be using some of that $10 billion a month to shore up a U.S. economy that is really hurting right now? If I'm president of the United States, that is part of my responsibility. OBAMA: General Petraeus' responsibility, as commander on the ground in Iraq, means that if one of his two-stars or three-stars says, "You know, we really need to pursue this electrification project and it's going to cost X millions of dollars, and because we can't get political reconciliation right now, it's better for the U.S. just to go ahead and spend its money, despite the fact that Iraq has seen its budget double," General Petraeus' judgment may be, "You know what? It's worth it for me, in order to accomplish my tasks inside Iraq, to go ahead and do that." If I'm president of the United States, I've got to be thinking, "How else could I be using that money? And should I be putting more pressure on the Iraqis to spend some of that money themselves?" OBAMA: Well, let me -- let me be absolutely clear. Israel is a strong friend of Israel's. It will be a strong friend of Israel's under a McCain government -- administration. It will be a strong friend of Israel's under an Obama administration. So that policy is not going to change. OBAMA: What I think can change is the ability of the United States government and a United States president to be actively engaged with the peace process and to be concerned and recognize the legitimate difficulties that the Palestinian people are experiencing right now. And recognize that it is not only in the interest of the Palestinian people that their situation improves, I believe it's also in the interest of the Israeli people, because it is going to be very difficult for Israel ever to feel secure if you don't have some sense of opportunity and prosperity and stability with its -- its neighbors. OBAMA: Well, you know, we've been going back and forth on this for a very long time. And I think that there's been an artificial construct that's been created where you essentially have two choices: Either I am so rigid and stubborn that I ignore anything that happens during the course of the 16 months in which our plan is being implemented, or, alternatively, I just have an indefinite open-ended commitment that is never driven by clear -- a clear timetable or a set of goals. And I reject that -- that those are the only two options. I think it is -- what I've consistently said is that my job, should I be commander in chief, is to set a vision, a strategic vision, of what's best for U.S. national security. I strongly believe that what is best for U.S. national security is to initiate a phased withdrawal and to set a timeframe that is very consistent with what the Iraqis are now saying and I think can be accomplished. OBAMA: I've also said in the past -- this is not new -- that if, for example, you started seeing a resurgence of ethnic violence that was -- that presented the possibility of genocide, that I would always reserve the right as commander in chief to intervene -- hopefully, with the international community. http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/22/AR2008072201079.html