United States: US President George Bush yesterday gave his backing to his beleaguered Defence Secretary, Mr Donald Rumsfeld, even as the latest controversy about Mr Rumsfeld continued to damage his reputation.
Mr Rumsfeld was found to have used a machine to sign his name to letters of condolence sent by the Pentagon, the US Defence Department's Washington headquarters, to more than 1,000 families of soldiers killed in Iraq.
"I have no confidence in Rumsfeld," Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican, said at the weekend. "This issue of the secretary of defence not personally signing the letters is just astounding to me and it does reflect how out of touch they are and how dismissive they are."
Mr Rumsfeld acknowledged that the letters had been signed by machine but said that that would change. "I have directed that, in the future, I sign each letter," he said in a statement to Stars and Stripes, the US military's daily newspaper.
Yesterday, giving his annual Christmas press briefing and taking questions, President Bush defended Mr Rumsfeld, describing him as a "caring fellow" who would win over doubters on Capitol Hill. "He's done a fine job and I look forward to continuing to work with him," Mr Bush said.
He added: "I know Secretary Rumsfeld's heart. I know how much he cares for the troops . . . I have heard the anguish in his voice and seen his eyes when we talk about the danger in Iraq and the fact that youngsters are over there in harm's way. He's a good, decent man. He's a caring fellow.
"Sometimes, perhaps his demeanour is rough and gruff. But below that rough and gruff, no-nonsense demeanour is a good human being who cares deeply about the military and deeply about the grief that war causes."
Mr Rumsfeld got himself into trouble earlier this month for appearing to brush off a soldier bound for Iraq who complained that military vehicles did not have sufficient armour and said that troops there were having to piece together scraps of metal for extra protection.
Some prominent Republicans in Congress, including Senator John McCain and former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, have questioned Mr Rumsfeld's performance as defence secretary.
But two key Republicans, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Richard Lugar and Senate Armed Services Committee chairman John Warner said on Sunday that it would be too disruptive to change the leadership at the Pentagon given the elections due to be held in Iraq on January 30th next.
Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press programme, Senator Warner said: "We should not at this point in time entertain any idea of changing those responsibilities in the Pentagon." - (Reuters)