In his Christmas eve encounters with U.S. military commanders and hundreds of their troops, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld heard — and said — little about armor or troop shortages, issues that have made him a political target in Washington among both Democrats and Republicans. His main message over a four-city tour was quite different: that the insurgency has staying power and a seemingly endless supply of weapons, and the time has come for ordinary Iraqis to realize that they — not the Americans — will ultimately decide who prevails in this conflict.
| If it's their country, they've got to control it. |
Rumsfeld emphasized his personal support and understanding of the sacrifices troops make, especially around the holidays. "You face a determined and vicious enemy," Rumsfeld said in dinner remarks Friday to hundreds of 1st Cavalary Division soldiers at a post near the Baghdad International Airport, where they feasted on a holiday meal of prime rib, fried shrimp and chicken, mashed potatoes and all the fixings. |