“My assumption would be that if we could actually stabilize Iraq, in such a way that you do not have warfare between the Sunnis the Shii’as and the Kurds, some semblance of law and order in that country, then I think that there is no doubt that the Kerry administration is going to be interested in bringing back the reservists and the National Guardsmen who are currently there, but –”

“If all of those things were true, Mr. Obama,” Koppel interrupted, “I think it is also true that the Bush administration would bring the troops back.”

“Absolutely,” Obama said.