Pentagon head Donald Ramsfeld arrived in Iraq

US Secretary of Defense Donald Ramsfeld arrived on Thursday in Iraq. It is expected that he will meet with the military and civilian American leadership in Iraq, in particular, the head of the Provisional Administration, Paul Bremer and Commander of the US troops in Iraq, General Ricardo Sanchez.

Soon after the arrival, Donald Ramsfeld visited the hospital, where the wounded American military are located.

The head of the Pentagon emphasized that he does not consider it necessary to increase the number of American soldiers in Iraq. In his opinion, at present it is necessary to focus on the creation of Iraqi power structures.

“The foreign military is abnormal. They are temporary. Iraqi military is normal, this is what should be,” he emphasized.

This is the second arrival of Ramsfeld in Baghdad after the end of active hostilities in Iraq. The first visit of the head of the Pentagon to Iraq took place at the end of April .

As expected, Donald Ramsfeld will also visit Afghanistan, RIA Novosti reports.

On the eve of Donald, Ramsfeld said that the United States did not intend to increase the number of their troops in Iraq. He believes that in ensuring security in the country, the Iraqi army and the police formed now should play a significant role.

Ramsfeld expressed the hope that other countries participating in ensuring Iraq safety will additionally place 10 thousand military personnel in the country, Radio Liberty reports. Now 140 thousand American military personnel and 22 thousand troops from other states have been deployed in Iraq.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said that Washington offers the UN Security Council a draft resolution that provides for the expansion of the role of the world community in the restoration of Iraq.

Donald Ramsfeld said that countries that will send troops to Iraq or allocate funds to restore it will receive the right to vote in civilian and military operations there.

"Depending on the size of assistance to troops, support and money, these countries will get a place at the table," he told the journalists who accompany him on a trip to the Middle East on Thursday, American television companies say. According to him, these countries "have the opportunity to work with us (Americans) and with Iraqis."

He did not clarify how the adoption by the UN Security Council of a new resolution on Iraq could push the state to send its contingents to this country. Ramsfeld also excluded the possibility that the UN military leadership in Iraq would be carried out by the UN. “This topic is not considered,” the head of the Pentagon emphasized.