Rumsfeld Starts Tour of Gulf
U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld began a tour of Persian Gulf nations Sunday to visit troops, huddle with commanders and thank allies for their help during the war in Iraq.
Rumsfeld landed in Abu Dhabi six hours late after a mechanical problem delayed his aircraft, causing him to miss a planned Sunday visit to Afghanistan. Officials said he hoped to go to Kabul later in the week.
After talks with officials in Abu Dhabi, Rumsfeld called the United Arab Emirates “a steadfast friend.”
U.S. tankers and reconnaissance drones have been flying out of the Emirates’ Dhafra air base during the war.
The Emirates responded only with a cautious statement calling on the United States to “expedite the process of transferring power back to the Iraqi people.” Rumsfeld has said the U.S. is considering reducing its presence in the gulf region now that the threat from Iraq is over.
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