Top Bush Officials Clash Over Iraq Election

[seemslikeadream]

Friday, September 24, 2004 5:07 p.m. ET
By Vicki Allen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage clashed publicly with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Friday over whether Iraq's upcoming elections should cover the whole country or be held only in areas where security could be guaranteed.

Armitage said the elections scheduled for January will not be perfect, but they should encompass the entire country, while Rumsfeld had suggested earlier that some violent areas may have to be excluded.

Rumsfeld also said Washington would not wait until Iraq "is peaceful and perfect" before beginning to withdraw U.S. troops "because it's never been peaceful and perfect and it isn't likely to be."

But he gave no timetable for the withdrawal, a topic administration officials have avoided as President Bush has vowed to "stay the course" in the conflict that has taken center stage in his election battle with Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry.

Another senior defense official, who asked not to be identified, said the number of U.S. troops in Iraq likely will rise slightly in December and January as fresh units are sent to relieve soldiers winding up their current year of duty.

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