Meanwhile, insurgents have escalated a campaign of bombings
taking a growing toll on Iraqi civilians, with hundreds killed
since the Shi'ite-led government was formed two months ago.
There has been growing discomfort with the Iraq war among
some U.S. lawmakers, and support for the war by the American
public has dropped in recent opinion surveys. Republican Sen.
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said declining public support
for the war was becoming a chronic problem.
POLITICAL PROGRESS
Rumsfeld said there must be political progress, but opposed
a deadline for withdrawing American troops.
"To the extent there were, for whatever reason, a delay in
moving forward with drafting a constitution or a referendum on
the constitution or holding the elections, it would retard the
entire process," Rumsfeld testified.
"And during this process, coalition people are being
killed. Iraqis are being killed. And it would be an enormous
disservice in my view, to delay the constitution or the
elections under the new constitution," Rumsfeld added.
Rumsfeld was not explicit about possible consequences for a
delay.
A small bipartisan group of lawmakers last week proposed a
resolution calling on the Bush administration to develop a plan
by the end of this year to pull out all American troops from
Iraq and to begin the withdrawal by Oct. 1, 2006.
Of a deadline, Rumsfeld testified: "It would throw a
lifeline to terrorists, who in recent months have suffered
significant losses in casualties, been denied havens, and
suffered weakened popular support."
But the committee's top Democrat, Sen. Carl Levin of
Michigan, said a withdrawal deadline should not be ruled out.
"The Iraqis have approved a timetable for adopting a
constitution: August 15th, with the possibility of one and only
one six-month extension," Levin said.
"The United States needs to tell the Iraqis and the world
that if that deadline is not met, we will review our position
with all options open, including but not limited to setting a
timetable for withdrawal," Levin said.
"We must demonstrate to the Iraqis that our willingness to
bear the burden of providing security has limits. We have
opened the door for the Iraqis at great cost, but only they can
walk through it. We cannot hold that door open indefinitely,"
Levin added.
Rumsfeld said he does not want the Iraqis to take a
six-month extension.
(Additional reporting by Charles Aldinger)
