The Republican reaction to the Obama administrations announcement that all American troops are coming home by the end of the year is a bit schizophrenic. On one hand you have prominent Republicans like Ari Fleischer who are trying to give George Bush credit for the withdrawal of troops.
12/31/11 withdrawal date was set by Pres Bush in famous shoe-throwing news conf in Baghdad. That's where 12/31/11 came from.
On the other hand Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney wants to continue the occupation of Iraq.
“President Obama’s astonishing failure to secure an orderly transition in Iraq has unnecessarily put at risk the victories that were won through the blood and sacrifice of thousands of American men and women. The unavoidable question is whether this decision is the result of a naked political calculation or simply sheer ineptitude in negotiations with the Iraqi government. The American people deserve to hear the recommendations that were made by our military commanders in Iraq.”