Rumsfeld in farewell pleads for patience in Iraq
Source: Reuters
By Kristin Roberts WASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld pleaded for patience in the Iraq war, saying it would be a "terrible mistake" for America to leave now, as he gave his farewell to Pentagon employees on Friday. Rumsfeld, criticized worldwide over U.S. war policy, said the bipartisan Iraq Study Group and others with alternative strategies had offered nothing not already considered by U.S. defense leaders. The war, he said, would not be won only by force of arms, and withdrawal would only yield instability in Iraq and beyond. "To pull out precipitously and inject ... instability into the situation there in that country, in that region, I believe would be a terrible mistake," Rumsfeld told hundreds of civilian and military workers at the Pentagon. He said the United States could succeed in Iraq, "but only if we have the patience and only if we have the staying power." U.S. forces were doing everything they can, he said. "But they can't win this, quote, unquote, militarily," he said. "It has to be won by the Iraqi people. It has to be won through a reconciliation process and through a political process. And it is those diplomatic and economic and political things that have to move forward in that country." President George W. Bush said he would replace Rumsfeld a day after voters swept Republicans out of control of the next Congress, in large part over anger about Iraq. Former CIA director Robert Gates has been confirmed by the Senate and will be sworn in at the Pentagon on Dec. 18. The Iraq Study Group recommended this week that the United States begin to withdraw forces from combat and launch a diplomatic push to prevent chaos in Iraq. In addition to those recommendations, Bush is collecting opinions about a change of course in Iraq from military commanders, academic experts and others, Rumsfeld said, adding Bush will likely make some decisions by year-end. Answering questions from Pentagon workers about his last six years at the Pentagon, Rumsfeld lamented the difficulty of getting government, particularly Congress, to move quickly and respond urgently to new security challenges. He also said his wife was urging him to write a book about his experience, but that he had not decided. In a characteristic display of forcefulness and humor, Rumsfeld remembered the day he learned of the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal as his worst in the job. His best, he said, may be his last. "You know, clearly the worst day was Abu Ghraib and seeing what went on there and feeling so deeply sorry that that happened," he said. "And I guess my best day, I don't know, maybe a week from Monday."
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