Administration refuses to give timetable for withdrawal from Iraq

[Sauron]

And apparently the Iraqi PM is disavowing the timetable:

Iraqi Leader Disavows Timetable Report

Oct 25, 7:56 AM (ET)

By SAMEER N. YACOUB

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - U.S. and Iraqi forces on Wednesday raided Sadr City, the stronghold of the feared Shiite militia led by radical anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, but Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki disavowed the operation, saying he had not been consulted and insisting "that it will not be repeated."

The defiant al-Maliki also slammed the top U.S. military and diplomatic representatives in Iraq for saying Iraq needed to set a timetable to curb violence ravaging the country.

"I affirm that this government represents the will of the people and no one has the right to impose a timetable on it," al-Maliki said at a news conference.

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said Tuesday that al-Maliki had agreed to the plan, announced at a rare joint appearance with Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, who said he would not hesitate to ask for more troops if he felt they were necessary.

Conclusion: Bush floated a timetable because it's an election year and he needed to stem the defection of conservative voters.