Reuters : : Rumsfeld Visits Iraq, Warns Against Corruption
With a straight face, even:
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."
This is too surreal. This can't be our actual government; it has to be some sort of Dadaist performance art. Any minute and they'll start hanging bacon on themselves and doing the chicken dance..
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."
This is too surreal. This can't be our actual government; it has to be some sort of Dadaist performance art. Any minute and they'll start hanging bacon on themselves and doing the chicken dance..
posted by Management at 3:28 AM
1 Comments:
By Charles Aldinger
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.
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