My discomfort with the "get out now" response is that I'm not sure what "now" means.

Think aboout it.  

• There are 135,000 troops scattered all over Iraq except the no-go zones.  
  
• There is a lot of ordnance stored in multiple places, which one would want to move out of Iraq.
  
• It took six months to move these troops into the region.
  
• As soon as we start withdrawing, the insurgents will try to turn a withdrawal into a rout.  Withdrawing is a very dangerous operation for American troops.
  
• There is equipment that either must be moved out or left behind.

So what does "now" mean?  It's not like we can wave a wand and <poof> they are all back home.

I think that Kerry has forcefully stated as much as he dares, without actually being president now and having the authority and inside information of the government.