BBC
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
New US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has warned that failure
in Iraq would be a "calamity" that would haunt the United
States for many years.
Mr Gates spoke after taking his oath of office from Vice-President
Dick Cheney.
Mr Gates, who replaces Donald Rumsfeld, said Iraq was his top
priority. He also vowed not to let Afghanistan become "a
sanctuary for extremists" again.
His comments come as a US report finds attacks on US and Iraqi
troops are at their highest level since June 2004.
The Pentagon report said attacks on US and Iraqi troops and civilians
increased considerably in recent months to almost 1,000 a week
- the highest level since Iraq gained sovereignty two years ago.
The report said the worst violence was in Baghdad and the western
province of Anbar, long the focus of activity by Sunni insurgents.
The BBC's Nick Miles in Washington says its criticism of the
Iraqi government's efforts to end sectarian violence seems to
chime with President George W Bush's emphasis on shifting responsibility
for security to the authorities in Baghdad.
For the Bush administration, this latest evidence will add to
the sense of urgency in Washington to find a fresh strategy in
Iraq, our correspondent says.
'Commitment made'
The new American defence secretary said he intended to go to
Iraq soon to hear the "unvarnished" views of US commanders
on how to improve matters.
"Failure in Iraq at this juncture would be a calamity that
would haunt our nation, impair our credibility, and endanger Americans
for decades to come."
Mr Gates warned that progress made in Afghanistan, where the
US military has been involved for the past five years, "is
at risk".
"The United States and its Nato allies have made a commitment
to the Afghan people and we intend to keep it," he said.
"Afghanistan cannot be allowed to become a sanctuary for
extremists again."
Mr Rumsfeld, the chief architect of the war in Iraq, resigned
last month amid heavy criticism of his policy.
Mr Gates, 63, takes office amid a wide-ranging administration
review of its approach to the war.
'Immense challenges'
Mr Bush said last week he would wait until January to announce
his new strategy, to give his new defence chief a chance to offer
advice.
Speaking after the swearing-in, Mr Bush said Mr Gates was "the
right man" for the challenges of Iraq and the wider fight
against terrorism.
The BBC's Adam Brookes in Washington says the challenges facing
Mr Gates are immense.
As well as advising the president on a new strategy for the war
in Iraq, he will have to wrestle with the enormous demands being
put on the US military in terms of equipment and personnel, our
correspondent says.
He will also have a vital political role, supporting a weakened
President Bush in persuading Americans that the war in Iraq is
still worth fighting, our correspondent adds.
At a confirmation hearing in the Senate earlier this month, Mr
Gates said the US was not winning the war in Iraq, and that he
was open to new policy ideas.
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has gone further, saying
that overstretched US troops are losing the conflict.
Mr Gates served as CIA director from 1991 until 1993, during
the administration of Mr Bush's father.
Mr Bush accepted Mr Rumsfeld's resignation after November mid-term
elections in which the Republicans lost control of both the House
of Representatives and the Senate.
Public discontent over the conduct of the Iraq war was seen as
a major factor in the defeat.
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