U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld acknowledged Thursday that U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq have not gone well and that the military is not well suited for imposing U.S. will on violent extremists. In his first speech since President George W. Bush abruptly announced the defense secretary's resignation on Wednesday, Rumsfeld told an audience of university students and soldiers in Kansas that a democratic and peaceful Iraq was “the hope and prayer of everyone involved.” “It is very clear that the major combat operations were an enormous success. It is clear that in phase two of this, it has not gone well enough or fast enough,” Rumsfeld said. The outgoing defense secretary pointed to Iraq's constitution, freely elected government, functioning schools and hospitals, stock market, and the rise of a free press as evidence of progress. But he said those achievements had to be measured against the worsening sectarian violence, which has created “a much more complex situation.” “Quite honestly, our country does not have experience attempting to impose control and our will over vicious, violent extremists that don't have armies, that don't have navies, don't have air forces, and operate in the shadows,” Rumsfeld said. “It's a totally difference circumstance.” Rumsfeld said Bush and the next defense secretary, former Central Intelligence Agency Director Robert Gates, will continue to make adjustments to Iraq policy, but he cautioned that dealing with extremists will take patience. “If we have the perseverance and the resolve, we will end up seeing the Iraqi people ultimately take control of their country, govern their country, provide security for their country. Certainly, that's our hope and our prayer,” Rumsfeld said.
