Kerry fleshes out blueprint

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Kerry said the conditions were "to measure the level of stability" in Iraq, "to measure the outlook for the stability to hold" and "to measure the ability ... of their security forces" to defend Iraq.

Until each condition is satisfied, Kerry said, "I will provide for the world's need not to have a failed state in Iraq."

Kerry, who will be formally picked to run for the White House at the Democratic National Convention in Boston July 26-29, has been calling for more international involvement in Iraq, but has refrained from advocating a withdrawal of all the 140,000 US troops.

However, he told the Journal aboard his campaign plane that "at the end of my first term I would consider it a failure of my diplomacy if we haven't reduced the number significantly."

"I certainly can't tell you numbers," he added. "The key at this point is to have a stable, non-failed state that is moving toward democracy and has security sufficient for the government to stand on its own."

Kerry said he had "heard (it) said by many people" that Bush might be preparing to withdraw some troops from Iraq before the election, adding that he was prepared for anything.