When it has come to Iraq and the presidential campaign, the debate has swirled mostly around withdrawal.

But a funny thing has happened as the current economic tempest has pushed Iraq off front pages. Withdrawal seems to be creeping up on us. And it's being talked about both by Iraqis and the U.S. commanders calling the shots there.

You'd think this would get more play in the presidential election, if only for political gain — more credence to the Democratic nominee's withdrawal plan or proof that the surge has worked. And this last assertion would be OK with us if it means declaring "victory" gets the United States out sooner. Please, someone go ahead and declare it.

The U.S. withdrawal is contained in the status of forces agreement, which the Iraqis have just requested be reopened for negotiations. The document has been long in the making, and the Iraqis don't appear to be happy with it. But one thing is clear. In it at the moment is a U.S. withdrawal by the end of 2011 — unless both sides agree that the U.S. should stay or if the situation on the ground doesn't allow a withdrawal.

Not as ironclad as we'd like, but still clearly indicating an Iraqi desire for U.S. withdrawal. It's a longer period than Democratic nominee Barack Obama has proposed but, given that he includes the word "flexible" in his proposal, not out of the ballpark. GOP nominee John McCain has dismissed announced withdrawals as something tantamount to giving succor to the enemy.

Iraqis, it appears, are unswayed by who's saying what in this particular part of the world. But another development has the U.S. military imposing withdrawal as tantamount to an ultimatum.

According to a report Sunday by McClatchy newspapers, the U.S. military is threatening to shut down military operations and other services by Jan. 1 if the Iraqis don't agree to the status of forces agreement. And this doesn't seem to have any flexibility at all. Some in the Iraqi government, in fact, view it as blackmail.

So whatever happened to the notion that withdrawal shouldn't be used as a tool to hurry the Iraqis along? It's plain: Withdrawal will occur, though perhaps not as soon as this Editorial Board would like, and it will likely occur no matter what either presidential candidate is saying about the issue at the moment.

We take a pause from this looooong campaign to cheer the prospect, though wishing it would occur sooner rather than later.

REPRINTED FROM THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL.

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