Rumsfeld locks horns with US lawmakers

Rumsfeld Thursday appeared at a hearing of the Senate's Armed Services Committee where one of the least forgiving questioners was Democratic US Senator Hillary Clinton, a perennial critic, who lashed the defence secretary for a "record of incompetence."

"We hear a lot of happy talk and rosy scenarios, but because of the administration's strategic blunders and, frankly, the record of incompetence in executing, you are presiding over a failed policy," Clinton told Rumsfeld.

Rumsfeld answered that "history will make a judgment" about his alleged misjudgments and missteps.

"Are there setbacks? Yes. Are there things that people can't anticipate? Yes. Does the enemy have a brain and continue to make adjustments on the ground, requiring our forces to continue to make adjustments? You bet. Is that going to continue to be the case? I think so," he said.

"Is this problem going to get solved in the near term about this long struggle against violent extremism?" asked Rumsfeld.

"No, I don't believe it is, I think it's going to take some time."

Another Democrat, Carl Levin decried the rising sectarian violence, despite the heavy US military presence.

"Sectarian violence is not only on the rise, it has eclipsed the Sunni insurgency and the terrorism of al-Qaeda in Iraq, in terms of the toll it has taken and the threats to Iraq's chances of stability," Levin said.

The beleaguered defence secretary had tried to avoid appearing before Thursday's panel pleading a busy schedule, but gave in to a chorus of calls by Senate Democrats who insisted it was vitally important he appear to explain US policy in Iraq.

Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy was also critical of Rumsfeld's leadership.

"We've been in there now for 40 months and 13 days with the finest military that's ever been developed in basically rather a third-rate military situation," Kennedy said.

Rumsfeld told Kennedy that ultimately the sectarian violence raging across Iraq "is going to be dealt with by Iraqis, and it's going to be dealt with by Iraqi security forces as a part of the solution. But it's going to be dealt with through a reconciliation process, a political process."