The Hindu : International : A superb job: Bush

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 11, 2004

International

International

A superb job: Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, MAY 10. The United States President, George W. Bush, has issued a strong endorsement of his Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, saying that the nation "owes you a debt of gratitude."

Mr. Bush's remarks came after a meeting of the war council at the Defence Department that included the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the top American military commander in West Asia.

Talking of Mr. Rumsfeld, Mr. Bush said: "You are courageously leading our nation in the war against terror. You are doing a superb job. You are a strong Secretary of Defence and our nation owes you a debt of gratitude."

The President's strong endorsement of Mr. Rumsfeld has to be seen in the context of calls from Capitol Hill that the top Pentagon civilian official step down to accept responsibility for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American guards.

Mr. Bush's comments, analysts say, have also to be seen in the context of the Pentagon and the administration bracing themselves for potentially more explosive images and video clips of prisoner abuse and in the possible fallout of this.

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