In today's story on Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's plan to pull troops out of Iraq, former Sen. John Edwards said that Obama's proposal is similar to President Bush's, saying the pace of withdrawal moves too slowly and sounds too much like the Army General David H. Petreaus' plan to withdraw 30,000 troops by July.

"Taking credit for this gradual withdrawal is like taking credit for gravity," Mr. Edwards said. "These 30,000 troops would have to be withdrawn anyway, unless the president extended tours to an unconscionable 18 months."

But that's not exactly accurate.

The Pentagon says there are currently 20 combat brigades in Iraq -- each with 3,500 or 4,500 troops. Mr. Obama plans to get the troops out at a rate of 1 to 2 brigades each month, preferably two, over the next 15 months, starting today and ending in December 2008.

At the lower end, 3,500 troops leaving each month for the next 15 months is 52,500 troops -- about a third of the 160,000 troops currently in Iraq. At two brigades a month it's 105,000 by December 2008, plus the 30,000 Mr. Edwards said are coming home anyway.

Granted, Mr. Obama's plan will not get all of the troops out by the end of 2008 (or 20 days before he would take office if elected). But it is a lot more than the 30,000 Mr. Edwards is claiming.

-- Brian DeBose, national political reporter, The Washington Times