John McCain, 2004: Well, if [the Iraqi government asks us to leave], then I think it's obvious that we would have to leave because— if it was an elected government of Iraq— and we've been asked to leave other places in the world. If it were an extremist government, then I think we would have other challenges, but I don't see how we could stay when our whole emphasis and policy has been based on turning the Iraqi government over to the Iraqi people.

George W. Bush, 2007: I don’t see how we could stay [if Maliki asked us to leave]. It is his country.

Iraqi National Security Advisor Mouwaffak al-Rubaie, Yesterday: "Our stance in the negotiations underway with the American side will be strong ... We will not accept any memorandum of understanding that doesn't have specific dates to withdraw foreign forces from Iraq."

John McCain, Yesterday: ""I have always said we will come home with honor and with victory and not through a set timetable. We will withdraw, but ... the victory we have achieved so far is fragile and (the redeployment) has to be dictated by events and on the ground," he said, adding that Iraqis would act in their national interest and the United States would act in its own interests.