(Reuters) U.S. must not quit despite "ugly" combat: Rumsfeld

[Eugene]

U.S. must not quit despite "ugly" combat: Rumsfeld
Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:13pm ET

By Andrew Gray

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, a lightning rod
for critics of the Iraq war, urged the United States on Friday not to retreat in the
face of "the agonies and ugliness of combat."

At a farewell ceremony for Rumsfeld on the grounds of the Pentagon, President George
W. Bush heaped praise on him, while Vice President Dick Cheney called him the best
defense secretary the United States ever had.

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"It may well be comforting to some to consider graceful exits from the agonies and,
indeed, the ugliness of combat. But the enemy thinks differently," Rumsfeld said at the
ceremony, which featured a military parade and brass-band music.

Although he did not mention Iraq in that portion of his speech, his remarks were likely
to be seen as a swipe at those calling for a swift withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.

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Full article: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=newsOne&storyID=2006-12-15T211331Z_01_N15294442_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-RUMSFELD.xml