The next president will take 4 years to remove 70% of the troops we have in Iraq (up to 2012).  The remaining 30% will gradually be reduced in Iraq until 2017, with but a few stragglers at that point.  2012 will come with 30% remaining, 2013 will arrive with 24%, 2014, will see 20%, 2015 will see 16%, 2016 will see 5-6% left, and 2017 will see less than 1% of the current troop level remaining in Iraq.  If the next president has 2 terms, it will take this person all 8 years to remove all but the last of the troops.  99% of all the troops that are there now.