The conditions in Iraq are moving towards favoring a withdrawal, not stopping it.

The operation in Mosul showed that !) the Iraqi army is supplanting US troops in important missions; 2) they are more effective at interacting with and gaining intelligence from the civilian population that Americans have been.

These are two reasons to go ahead with withdrawal on Obama's current timeline, which ends 2 years from now. If the gain in Iraqi military and government confidence and action continue, the stage is set for beginning to withdraw shortly after January 20th. The most likely 'refinement' would come after that withdrawal starts.

General Petraeus is smart. He knows what's coming. He got a few more 'surge' months from Bush, which he may have to give back to Obama. But he WILL make it work. Obama WILL start withdrawing.

If, under the mission of withdrawal, Petaeus has to slow it down or temporarily stop because of conditions on the ground, the American people would certainly understand that. After all the mission is to withdraw responsibly and in a way to protect US troops. The difference is in the mission.

All this trying to get Obama nailed on contradictions is counter productive and without merit.