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BAGHDAD (Reuters)
- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, on a surprise
visit to Iraq, warned the country's leaders Tuesday
against political purges and cronyism that could
spark "lack of confidence or corruption in
government."
He said the United States also opposed any move to
delay the political schedule in Iraq, which includes
drafting a new constitution by mid-August and
elections in December.
After meeting Rumsfeld, Iraq's recently named prime
minister, moderate Islamist Ibrahim Jaafari, said he
would fight corruption in the transitional
government.
"I don't deny that there are challenges," Jaafari
told reporters after the brief meeting.
"I am sure we are going to form very good
ministries. All of them (workers) they are good
technocrats. They are very effective from different
backgrounds. So I think we can cooperate, all of us,
and face these challenges successfully."
Rumsfeld's ninth visit to Iraq since the 2003
invasion came as the U.S. military hopes to cut
troop numbers there next year, as long as Iraqi
security forces continue to improve.
"The presence of (U.S.) security forces is not going
to be something that is going to go on forever," he
told reporters on his military transport plane that
flew direct from Washington.
Despite progress last week with the naming of
Jaafari and President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, to
lead the transitional government, political factions
are still jockeyeing for power.
Rumsfeld said decisions such as ministerial
appointments should be for the good of Iraq and not
based on party loyalties.
"It's important that the new government be attentive
to the competence of the people in the ministries
and that they avoid unnecessary turbulence," he told
reporters.
"We have an opportunity to continue to make progress
politically, economically ... anything that would
delay that or disrupt that as a result of
turbulence, or lack of confidence or corruption in
government, would be unfortunate."
He noted a legal provision allowed for a delay of up
to six months in writing a new constitution before
the next round of elections but said the United
States would oppose such a move.
"If someone wants to hang around waiting for
perfection in this business, you are unlikely to
find it. And you are never going to have a political
process," he said.
FLYING VISIT
He began his day in Iraq with talks on the military
situation with U.S. Army General George Casey, the
top American commander in Iraq, and Army
Lieutenant-General John Vines, commander of
multinational forces.
Casey said Iraqi security forces were improving but
there was still a way to go before they could take
full charge.
"The political process has to keep moving," he said
of the situation in Iraq, adding "the Iraqi security
forces are much more aggressive in taking actions"
since the election.
Rumsfeld was to fly later to the northern city of
Mosul and meet Masoud Barzani, a senior Kurdish
leader.
An American contractor was kidnapped near Baghdad
Monday, before Rumsfeld's visit, raising fresh
concerns about security.
The U.S. Army is hoping to cut soldiers' year-long
tours in Iraq to six months as Iraqi security forces
increasingly take charge of combating insurgents.
About 140,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq, down from the
150,000 in December who helped provide security for
January's elections.
More than 1,540 American troops have died in Iraq
since the invasion, but the rate of casualties has
fallen this year.
The U.S. military death toll in Iraq in March was
36, the lowest monthly toll in over a year. That
compared to 107 U.S. deaths in January and 137 in
November, the highest monthly toll.
Rumsfeld last visited Iraq in February
Reuters
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