Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defence Secretary, warned Iraqi politicians today not to purge the security forces and stack the ranks with their own men.
Lack of confidence or corruption in government would be “unfortunate”, Mr Rumsfeld said in Baghdad today on a short and unannounced visit to Iraq.
There are fears that the Shia Muslim and Kurdish parties, which came to power in the January 30 election, could fire Sunni officials in revenge for the decades of oppression they suffered under Saddam Hussein’s regime.
“It’s important that the new government be attentive to the competence of the people in the ministries and that they avoid unnecessary turbulence,” Mr Rumsfeld said.
Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the Prime Minister, said after meeting Mr Rumsfeld that he realised the risks