A withdrawal from Iraq won't be something that can happen overnight, retired former Air Force General Tony McPeak told an audience of about 40 people during a foreign policy town hall meeting Tuesday.

McPeak, 71, appeared at the Bob Ruud Community Center as part of the Barack Obama campaign for president. He is another of the prominent political leaders to visit Pahrump before the Nevada caucus Jan. 19.

McPeak was a member of the joint chiefs of staff for the military under President H.W. Bush, during the first Gulf War in 1990. He is a former fighter pilot who campaigned for Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole in 1996 and for George W. Bush in 2000, but has since changed his party affiliation to Democrat.

"We're a lot weaker than we were eight years ago and weaker in just about every way: weaker militarily, economically, diplomatically, the dollar is worth less, we're not taking care of our veterans. I'm angry about it. I spent 37 years in uniform," McPeak said.

The retired general said he knew the first President Bush personally and liked the family, though he didn't know the current president.

"The older Bush had this vision thing. Barack Obama has a vision thing. He has a vision of bringing the country together to work on the serious problems we face," McPeak said.

The infrastructure being built in Iraq, like a $750 million U.S. embassy under construction in Baghdad, gives the appearance America is preparing for a permanent presence in that country, he said. Republican presidential candidates have confirmed that is their plan.

"These are American facilities, built with America's money. They have the look of trying to establish a long-term presence. The Pentagon is playing dodge ball about what we're actually doing," McPeak said.

Instead, McPeak said he supports Obama's plan, to withdraw about one military brigade or two per month from Iraq starting after inauguration day. By the end of December 2009, a small U.S. force would be left in the Mideast to fight terrorism, but they could be stationed in Kuwait, Qatar or Iraq, according to Obama's plan.

McPeak agreed with the Bush administration on one point, it's not wise to tell the enemy a deadline when the American military will be fully withdrawn.

"We have to be as careful coming out as we were careless going in," McPeak said.

It will have to be a phased withdrawal, with troops pulling back from a dozen military bases in different parts of the country to Baghdad, then eventually down the 300 mile road to Kuwait City, he said.

"It will probably be a fighting withdrawal, although the Iraqis may have decided they've embarrassed us enough they'll let us go home. We can't count on it," McPeak said. "A fighting withdrawal is the worst kind of maneuver."

McPeak fielded questions about immigration and other issues like Yucca Mountain, but referred them to Obama staffers. On immigration, he commented on a home construction crew he observed while driving into Pahrump: "None of those guys looked Irish to me."

Comments about the scandal involving hired security firms in Iraq like Blackwater however, the retired general could tackle head on.

"We don't want to see hired gunslingers like Blackwater. I think it's an insult to guys wearing the uniform that you have to say, 'Hey, you're not good enough to do this kind of combat.,'" McPeak said.