U.S. not losing Iraq war, Rumsfeld insists

Vice President Dick Cheney, 3/16/03:

It is unknowable how long that conflict will last. It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.

U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld came under attack at a Senate hearing Thursday, weathering calls for his resignation as he insisted the military shouldn’t set a deadline for withdrawing American troops from Iraq.
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Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, a Democrat, condemned as "gross errors and mistakes" in the U.S. military campaign in Iraq. He demanded Rumsfeld step down.

"In baseball, it’s three strikes, you’re out. What is it for the Secretary of Defense?" Kennedy asked at the fractious Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

"Isn’t it time for you to resign?" he asked.

"I’ve offered my resignation to the president twice," Rumsfeld fired back, adding that President George W. Bush didn’t accept his offer. "That’s his call."

Rumsfeld and other military leaders were appearing before the committee in Washington to field questions on the future of the U.S. campaign in Iraq.

The Defence Secretary rejected calls from some senators that the military set a timetable to pull troops out of Iraq, calling it a "mistake" that would "throw a lifeline to terrorists."

"Timing in war is never predictable. There are never guarantees," he said. "Those who say we are losing this war are wrong. We are not."

More foreign fighters than 6 months ago: top general

However, Gen. John Abizaid, commander of the U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf, testified that the Iraqi insurgency isn’t weakening.

"I believe there are more foreign fighters coming into Iraq than there were six months ago. In terms of the strength of the insurgency, I would say it is the same as it was."

Democrats and even some Republicans openly criticized the U.S. campaign in Iraq, where more than 1,700 Americans have died since U.S.-led troops invaded in March of 2003.

The Bush administration has repeatedly said that the militants in Iraq are being beaten. Last month, Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview that the insurgency was in its "last throes."

However, militant attacks have continued to take a heavy toll, particularly on Iraqi security troops. Hundreds of civilians have been killed since a Shia-led government formed two months ago.

In the United States, public skepticism is climbing as the costs of the occupation spiral.

"Public support in my state is turning," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina. "People are beginning to question.

"And I don’t think it’s a blip on the radar screen. We have a chronic problem on our hands."

http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/MSN/wor...

More Excerpts from Senate Hearing

Levin: "So you wouldn’t agree with the statement that it’s in its last throes?"

Abizaid: "I don’t know that I would make any comment about that other than to say there’s a lot of work to be done against the insurgency."

Levin: "Well, the vice president has said it’s in its last throes, that’s the statement the vice president _ it doesn’t sound to me from your testimony or any other testimony here this morning that it is in its last throes."

Abizaid: "I’m sure you’ll forgive me from criticizing the vice president."

Levin: "I just want an honest assessment from you as to whether you agree with a particular statement of his _ it’s not personal. ...

Abizaid: "I gave you my opinion of where we are."

Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.: "Mr. Secretary, I’ve watched you with a considerable amount of amusement. ... I’ve been here a long time, longer than you have. ... I’ve seen a lot of secretaries of defense. ... I don’t think I’ve ever heard a secretary of defense who likes to lecture the committee as much as you. ...

"You may not like our questions but we represent the people. ... We ask the questions that the people ask of us whether you like it or not. ... The problem is we didn’t ask enough questions at the beginning of this war that we got into, Mr. Bush’s war. ...

"I don’t mean to be discourteous. I’ve just heard enough of your smart answers to these people here who are elected. ... So get off your high horse when you come up here."

Rumsfeld didn’t respond to those remarks.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld: "There have been a series of gross errors and mistakes. Those were on your watch. ... Isn’t it time for you to resign?"

Rumsfeld: "Senator, I’ve offered my resignation to the president twice, and he’s decided that he would prefer that he not accept it, and that’s his call."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.: "The public views this every day, Mr. Secretary, more and more like Vietnam. ...

"In the last year, Sir, the public support in my state has turned, and I worry about that, because that’s the only way we’ll ever leave before we should, is if the public loses faith in us."

Rumsfeld: "I am absolutely convinced that we’ll have the willpower and the staying power and the courage to do what’s right there. The alternative is to turn that region back to darkness, to people who behead people. And that is not a happy prospect."

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Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.: "General Abizaid, can you give us your assessment of the strength of the insurgency? Is it less strong, more strong, about the same strength as it was six months ago?"

Gen. John Abizaid, top U.S. commander in the Persian Gulf: "In terms of comparison from six months ago, in terms of foreign fighters, I believe there are more foreign fighters coming into Iraq than there were six months ago.

"In terms of the overall strength of the insurgency, I’d say it’s about the same as it was."