And, of course, the advantage of that is, they'll be so much closer to the action and closer to so much of the ground troop maneuvering that's going on, not just in this area, but further to the north.

CNN: Bob Franken: U.S. forces secure Iraqi airstrip

Mr Romney says he would ask commanders on the ground about troop withdrawals on taking office.

ECONOMIST: Foreign policy

The Clinton Administration does, though, and Washington seems to be creeping up to the ground-troop question only inch by reluctant inch.

CNN: IT'S FLIGHT OR FIGHT