GEORGE Bush stood by Donald Rumsfeld yesterday, as the beleaguered United States Defence Secretary faced growing calls for his resignation in the wake of the Iraqi prisoner-abuse scandal.
In a public show of support for Mr Rumsfeld, the US President said he "will stay in my cabinet" despite Democratic calls for his departure.
The president is said to be privately furious with Mr Rumsfeld for his handling of the scandal which is th
reatening to engulf the White House.
A senior White House official yesterday said Mr Bush had privately admonished Mr Rumsfeld, as other US officials blamed the Pentagon for failing to act on repeated recommendations to improve conditions for thousands of Iraqi detainees and release those not charged with crimes.
Mr Bush was said to be "not satisfied" and "not happy" with the way Mr Rumsfeld informed him about the investigation into abuses by US soldiers at Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison, or the quantity of information Mr Rumsfeld provided, the senior White House official said.
The president was particularly disturbed at having had to learn from news reports this week about the scope of misconduct documented in a US army investigative report completed in March, according to the official.
But the president kept his concerns to himself yesterday, publicly supporting Mr Rumsfeld, who is due to face two contentious sessions with congressional committees today to discuss the abuse scandal.
"Secretary Rumsfeld has served our nation well," Mr Bush said. "Secretary Rumsfeld has been the secretary during two wars, and he is an important part of my cabinet."
Mr Bush coupled his remarks with his first outright apology for the mistreatment suffered by Iraqis at the hands of American soldiers. He said he was "sorry for the humiliation suffered by the Iraqi prisoners and the humiliation suffered by their families".
Yesterday, a growing list of Democrats in Congress said Mr Rumsfeld should resign, be fired, or even impeached.
The House Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi, told reporters that she believed the defence secretary must go. Senator Tom Harkin issued a statement, saying: "For the good of our country, the safety of our troops, and our image around the globe, Secretary Rumsfeld should resign. If he does not resign forthwith, the president should fire him."
Senator John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting, also jabbed at Mr Bush on the issue. In an appearance in California, Mr Kerry said: "As president, I will not be the last to know what is going on in my command. I will demand accountability for those who serve, and I will take responsibility for their actions.
"And I will do everything that I can in my power to repair the damage that this has caused to America’s standing in the world and to the ideals for which we stand."
Mr Bush has asked Congress for $25 billion for fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan next year. Democrats criticised the president yesterday for his request, saying they will support the money but accusing him of lowering the amount for political reasons.
The proposal marked an abrupt reversal for a White House that, until recently, had insisted it would not seek more money until next year. The reversal came amid intensified combat that is forcing the Pentagon to keep more troops in Iraq than it anticipated.
