Iraq PM urges quick pullout of US forces

He met with top Iraqi officials, including interim Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari, with whom Rumsfeld had what he termed a "full discussion" about the timetable for Iraqis to assume complete responsibility for security.

Mr. Jaafari has called for US troops to leave the country soon, but added no timeframe had been set for withdrawal, reports BBC.

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One Iraqi official said US-led forces could hand over security for 10 cities by December, reports Agence France-Presse.

Gen. George Casey, the top US commander in Iraq, said he believed a US troop withdrawal could begin by spring 2006 if progress continues on the political front and if the insurgency does not expand, reports The Associated Press.

"The tone of statements by Rumsfeld and Jaafari, as well as [Casey], suggested a heightened urgency to planning for the US troop reduction, despite the continuation of lethal daily attacks by insurgents in Iraq," reports The Washington Post.

These developments come weeks after a secret British government memo indicating the US and Britain planned to withdraw the majority of their troops by the middle of next year was leaked to the press. British Defense Secretary John Reid did not deny the authenticity of the memo, but said that no decisions had been made at the time.

Rumsfeld urged Iraqis to finish their draft constitution before an Aug. 15 deadline. "We don't want any delays. ... Now's the time to get on with it."

The writing of the Iraqi constitution "has proceeded in fits and starts," according to BBC, which notes that Sunni committee members have ended their boycott of the process. They had announced their withdrawal after three Sunni politicians were killed on 19 July.

Humam Hamoudi, the chairman of the committee writing the constitution, said the document will be finished on time.

Rumsfeld also urged Iraqi leaders to resist interference by the country's neighbors Iran and Syria, reports the Telegraph.

He said:

It's important for them (the Iraqis) to work with their neighbours to see that the behaviour of particularly Iran and Syria improves. It has been harmful. ... They need to be aggressively communicating with their neighbours to see that foreign terrorists stop trying to cross those borders and their neighbours do not harbour insurgents.

Iraq "should demonstrate that they are a big country, that they are a wealthy country, that they have been around a long time, and they don't like it," he said.

Also...
• Rumsfeld makes it to first base ( Asia Times Online)
• Riot erupts outside main US Afghanistan base ( CTV, Canada)
• Iraq exit on the agenda ( Asia Times Online)
• Beazley calls for Iraq 'quagmire' exit strategy ( Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
• White House drops 'war on terror' slogan ( UPI)

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