 US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld dismissed on Friday growing calls for the United States to start withdrawing forces from Iraq, saying Iraq was several years behind Afghanistan as a secure country.
| Now, just take a deep breath and think back. Who would have expected a statement like that in November, 2001? |
Rumsfeld said as Iraqi forces took more control of their own security, it would enable US forces to be diverted to other assignments within Iraq. âWhat youâll see over the period ahead is that the Iraqi security forces will be handed over responsibility for pieces of real estate, for certain types of missions and assignments,â Rumsfeld told reporters after talks with Australian ministers. âAs that happens, the people who were engaged in those activities, they will in many cases assume other assignments and responsibilities, in many cases assisting help to train some additional Irai security forces,â said Rumsfeld.
The US Senate on Tuesday resolved that Iraqis should start to take the lead in their own security from next year, to allow a phased withdrawal of US troops. But the Senate rejected a Democrats demand for Republican President George W. Bush to submit a time-table for the troop withdrawal. |