Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Iraq for an unannounced visit with American and Iraqi officials. Secretary Rumsfeld arrived Wednesday morning, with a series of messages for the country's interim leaders.
Mr. Rumsfeld flew into Baghdad Airport from the central Asian country, Tajikistan. For security reasons, the visit was not announced ahead of time.
The defense secretary told reporters traveling with him that he would urge Iraqi leaders to do more to curb what Mr. Rumsfeld characterized as "harmful interference" from neighboring Syria and Iran. The United States has accused both countries of harboring and financing foreign extremists and allowing them to cross into Iraq.
Mr. Rumsfeld says he will also emphasize to Iraqi leaders the need for more Iraqi personnel who can take over the task of handling a growing number of detainees in the country and the importance of finishing Iraq's draft constitution by an August 15 deadline.
