Gates: America's commitment to military buildup in Iraq not open-ended

Above: US Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates walking towards the Mulitnational Corps-Iraq headquarters last December.

FALLUJAH, Iraq: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates slipped into Iraq Thursday to warn Iraqi leaders that America's commitment to a military buildup there is not open-ended.

Gates said the political tumult in Washington over financing the military presence in Iraq shows that both the American public and the Bush administration are running out of patience with the war.

"I'm sympathetic with some of the challenges that they face," Gates said of the Iraqis during his surprise visit. But, he said, "the clock is ticking."

Gates added, "Frankly I would like to see faster progress."

He said the Iraqis need to push through legislation on political reconciliation and sharing oil revenues.

Read the rest at the International Herald Tribune

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