Bill Sammon, The Examiner
2006-11-10 10:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

One day after being sacked by President Bush in the wake of the Democratic takeover of Congress, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld conceded Thursday he had a mixed record on Iraq.

“I will say this: It is very clear that the major combat operations were an enormous success,” he told an audience in Kansas. “It is clear that, in phase two of this, it has not been going well enough or fast enough.”

Rumsfeld hinted that his downfall was due in part to America’s inability to appreciate the complexity and challenges of the long-term war against terror.

“Quite honestly, our country does not have experience attempting to impose control and our will over vicious, violent extremists that don’t have armies, don’t have navies, don’t have air forces and operate in the shadows,” he said.

The remarks came one day after President Bush announced that he will replace Rumsfeld with former CIA Director Robert Gates. The move was a concession to Democratic critics of Rumsfeld, although Bush praised the defense secretary Thursday.

“Don has been an outstanding secretary of defense, a trusted adviser and a loyal friend,” Bush said in a Rose Garden appearance with other members of his Cabinet.

Rumsfeld was generally upbeat during his speech in Kansas.

“When I was in Afghanistan not long ago, a young soldier told me, he said: ‘I really can’t believe we’re allowed to do something this important,’ ” Rumsfeld said. “You know, I feel the same way.”

bsammon@dcexaminer.com