Could Fail? It never was winnable. Iraq was an unprovoked war of choice, launched by a US president against a regime that, posed no threat to the US or anyone else
Breaking News:
United States Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has raised the possibility that the US mission in Iraq could fail, the Knight Ridder/Tribune news service reports.
A sombre Rumsfeld was reported as saying the prison abuse scandal delivered a "body blow" to the nation-building effort in Iraq that has cost the lives of more than 770 American troops.
Rumsfeld was quoted while speaking at the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the Pentagon's request for an additional $US25 billion to fund the Iraq war - a figure he conceded was only a partial payment on what the war will cost next year.
The news agency reported the "normally unflappable Rumsfeld at times appeared defensive and emotional", especially when listening to despairing emails form US troops who wanted to come home.
It quoted Rumsfeld as saying: "Will it (winning the war) happen right on time? I think so. I hope so. Will it be perfect? No. Is it possible it won't work? Yes."
But he said: "I look at Iraq and all I can say is, I hope it comes out well, and I believe it will. And we're going to keep at it."
He also delivered a rambling statement ripping media coverage of the prison abuse scandal.
"I've kind of stopped reading the press, frankly," Rumsfeld said, his voice quavering at times.
An email read to Rumsfeld from a career officer in Iraq said troops were "appalled and ashamed" over Abu Ghraib.
"Nobody wants to compare this to Vietnam," the email said.
"But it's starting to feel that way on the ground. Everybody just wants to finish their year, get the hell out and forget they were ever here."
"I guess it's disturbing," Rumsfeld said of the email, "but it's not surprising that an individual feels that
