Iraqis welcome resignation of unpopular Rumsfeld

IRAQIS yesterday cheered the resignation of US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, blaming him for policy failures and scandals they say helped spawn the daily sectarian carnage wracking their nation.

“Rumsfeld’s resignation shows the scale of the mess the US has made in Iraq,” said Ibrahim Ali, 44, who works at the Oil Ministry. “The efforts by American politicians to hide their failure are no longer working.”

Iraq’s government has yet to comment on Rumsfeld’s resignation, announced Wednesday after the Democratic Party won a sweeping victory in midterm elections in which voter discontent over the war in Iraq played a major role.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has in recent weeks grown increasingly critical of US policies and pushed for his government to assume more responsibility for security.

Many in Baghdad said they expect changes in the US approach under Rumsfeld’s expected replacement, former CIA director Robert Gates.

What changes aren’t yet clear, although ideas for a new strategy are being studied by an independent US commission.

The White House says it is opposed to two options — the partitioning of Iraq or a phased withdrawal.

Whatever suggestions are put forward, however, Iraqis said Rumsfeld’s departure was a positive move.

“Rumsfeld’s resignation is a good step because he failed to keep security,” said Saad Jawad, 45, a former army officer.

Many Iraqis blamed Rumsfeld for spurring the emergence of Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias by disbanding the former Iraqi army following the toppling of Saddam Hussein.