He's the head honcho. There is no one above him, no "higher up" so to speak. Just because he gets advice doesn't mean he'll follow exactly what they say. One person may think his advice is paramount, but Obama's got dozens of other voices to listen to, which are saying complete opposite things from each other. I don't get why people expect others to follow advice; giving advice only means you're trying to make a decision clearer, not decide for them. He may already have a plan, an internal feeling of what's right, in which case all these advice givers fall on deaf ears. Right now the battle isn't about the generals and the military, It's about people and figuring out the human psyche.
This whole concept of, if you don't fight you're weak, is completely dumb. That's what the terrorists wanted in the first place; only in this case there was a chance they would still retaliate regardless. But I suppose what Obama's trying to distinguish if they're done threatening the U.S. and if it's safe to pull out. I don't think any American will admit it, but you guys are much happier with the war over there than on your owl soil. Paradoxically, it's selfish and barbaric to bring the fight to their home, when the majority of people there have no idea why you're bombing their land.
Obama wanted to pull out because your troops are dying, and because it is a MASSIVE drain on the U.S. resources. And here some of us are pointing the finger saying he's creating more deficit, but yet you think it's a bad idea to pull out of Iraq. That's one big contradiction.
By the way McCain just looks like a scumbag. At least Obama gives a genuine smile, sounds honest, and can let lose a little bit (like when he dances). His black character really shows in some spots and I like it. White people tend to be a bunch of stiffs in North America (yeah I'm white).
As for Canada's health-care, neither my mom nor I have heard of this bankruptcy thing. Most Canadians pay for their health-care, it's just in the form of taxes. There are hiccups and mistakes and bureaucracy here too (to put it nicely), but there are thousands of Americans who can't afford to go to the hospital if they break something. A big problem here in Canada is people taking advantage of the system. People come in for the sniffles, and that drains the money and the resources.