Rumsfeld 'doing a fine job'
2006-04-14 13:00
Washington - US President George W Bush has full confidence in embattled secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld despite calls from several retired generals for his resignation, the White House said on Thursday.
"Yes, the president believes secretary Rumsfeld is doing a very fine job during a challenging period in our nation's history," said White House spokesperson Scott McClellan when asked if Bush still had confidence in the defence secretary.
On Wednesday a fourth retired general called for Rumsfeld's resignation, the latest demand from senior military figures for new leadership and fresh thinking on Iraq.
Rumsfeld has led the Pentagon "during two wars, wars that resulted in the liberation" of millions of people in Afghanistan and Iraq, McClellan said.
"The secretary has also overseen the transformation of the military so that we are better prepared to confront the threats that we face in the 21st century," he said.
According to McClellan, Bush is "well aware" of the opinions of Rumsfeld's critics.
"We are a nation at war and we are a nation that is going through a military transformation. Those are issues that tend to generate debate and disagreement and we recognize that," he said.
McClellan then quoted the head of the joint chiefs of staff, General Peter Pace, who defended Rumsfeld on Tuesday and said that the US generals had "every opportunity" to speak their minds during the buildup to the war in Iraq.
- SAPA