Powell and Bremmer and Joint Chiefs rep said we'd leave if the Iraqis wanted it

Well, now they want it.

Secretary of State Colin Powell emphatically said yesterday that if the incoming Iraqi interim government ordered the departure of foreign troops after June 30, they would pack up without protest, but emphasized he doubted such a request would be made....

His statement, which was echoed by L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq, and the foreign ministers of Britain, Italy and Japan, came one day after conflicting testimony by administration officials on the issue.

Testifying before the House International Relations Committee on Thursday, Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman appeared to say the interim government could order the departure of foreign troops, only to be contradicted by Lt. Gen. Walter Sharp, Joint Chief of Staffs director for strategic plans and policy, who asserted that only an elected government could do so. Iraqi elections are scheduled for January....

"If the provisional government asks us to leave, we will leave," Bremer said, referring to an Iraqi administration due to take power June 30. "I don't think that will happen, but obviously we don't stay in countries where we're not welcome."

(Hat tip to ThinkProgress)