America's top military officer, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen, said yesterday that he opposes a timetable for withdrawing U.S. Forces from Iraq. He made the statement during a Press Conference at the Pentagon. This puts both possible Democratic nominees at clear odds with the best wisdom of those leading our military.

As the campaign moves forward, John McCain will provide a clear choice for Americans to support U.S. Service men and women AND their mission not just with words, but with action.

The top U.S. military officer said Wednesday the Pentagon will follow whatever decisions the next president makes about U.S. troop levels in Iraq but he remains opposed to a timetable for withdrawing forces.

Asked if commanders who believe conditions in Iraq should govern troops cuts could accept a new policy, change course and move on, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a key war adviser to the president, said yes.

He told reporters at a Pentagon press conference that he does not favor any rapid withdrawal from Iraq that could jeopardize security improvements there.

"I am against a timetable," he said. "I think a precipitous withdrawal, any withdrawal which puts us into a situation where we sacrifice the gains in Iraq, where Iraq falls apart in that part of the world is something that would concern me greatly."

He also said, however, that when a new administration comes in next year, he would make his recommendations to that commander in chief based on the conditions in Iraq. Then, he said, "the president ... whoever that might be, he or she, will make that decision and we'll move accordingly."

The presidential contenders have offered markedly different views on what the military should do in Iraq.

Sen. John McCain, who has clinched the Republican nomination, opposes a scheduled withdrawal and plans to keep U.S. troops in Iraq for the near future, perhaps years longer if they are no longer under hostile fire. Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton says, "I would begin pulling the troops out in the first 60 days" but has not committed to a timetable for completing a withdrawal. Democratic Sen. Barack Obama has promised to have "our combat troops out within 16 months."