US military too strong to lose Iraq war, says Rumsfeld

WASHINGTON - US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said today the US military is too strong to lose the war in Iraq, but ultimately political solutions will be needed to win.

"You've got a situation where it's not possible to lose militarily," Rumsfeld said. "It's also going to require more than military power to prevail."

Rumsfeld, in comments to reporters at the Pentagon, said US training of security forces in Iraq had been "rushed" but that placing US trainers within the Iraqi police force would gradually boost Iraq's ability to reduce violence on its own.

Still, he said, Iraq's parliament needs to resolve the issue of federalism and create a unity government to squash the violence that plagues much of Iraq and has frustrated US efforts to begin withdrawing troops.

"It's going to take all those things together," Rumsfeld said.

US military commanders say violence in Iraq, which has killed 2750 American troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis, remains contained within five of the 18 provinces. Those areas, however, include Baghdad and much of the surrounding metropolitan area.

American officials regularly accuse Iran and Syria of supporting the insurgency, and Rumsfeld today declined to comment on suggestions that the United States should seek those countries' help to reduce violence in Iraq.

"Neither Iran nor Syria have been helpful," he said.

Rumsfeld also declined to comment on a statement from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, a key Republican from Virginia, that the United States might have to consider a change of course if the Iraqi government fails to restore order within two or three months.

- REUTERS