US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld dismissed calls from retired generals for his resignation, in an interview to be broadcast Friday on Al-Arabiya television. "I intend to serve the president at his pleasure," Rumsfeld told the channel, according to a transcript of the interview obtained by AFP.
"Obviously if, out of thousands and thousands of admirals and generals, if every time two or three people disagreed, we changed the secretary of defence of the United States, it would be like a merry-go-round."
Rumsfeld's comments were his first public reaction to the demands for his resignation made by five retired US generals, three of whom served in Iraq.
Rumsfeld defended the administration's track record and portrayed his decisions in Iraq as in step with General John Abizaid, the top commander in the Middle East, and General George Casey, the military's senior officer in Iraq.
"Personally I'll go with General Abizaid and General Casey's judgement. I think they are probably the best observers. There are people on the outside who are retired, who look back, and say oh this or that, and that's fine, they can do that, but that doesn't make them right."
However, asked by Arabiya if he would serve through 2008, the defence secretary was more coy. "Well that remains to be seen," Rumsfeld answered about the prospects of him becoming America's longest-serving defence secretary if he manages to stay in his job until the end of next year.
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