WASHINGTON, Dec 23: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warned on Wednesday that it would be "a mistake" to think that deadly chaos in Iraq will subside after elections scheduled for January 30.

"I think looking for a peaceful Iraq after the elections would be a mistake. I think our expectations level ought to be realistic about that," Mr Rumsfeld told reporters at the Pentagon.

"These folks have a lot to lose: The extremists and terrorists and the people who are determined to try to take back that country are determined not to lose," said Mr Rumsfeld.

"And they are going to do everything they can to see that that opportunity they have succeeds, and we've got to do everything to see that they fail," he said after an apparent suicide bombing on a US base in Iraq.

Speaking at the same briefing, the chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Richard Myers agreed that violence in Iraq would not end after the elections, but said they would be an important political milestone.

"I'm not saying there's not going to be a lot of challenges after Jan 30. That will not be a panacea either, but it will be a very important step in legitimizing the Iraqi government, delegitimizing the insurgents," said Myers.

"But we said it is going to be much more of a challenge as we get closer and closer to that date. "The last several days, that's what we have seen: We've seen some horrific attacks not only against coalition forces but Iraqi citizens," Gen Myers said. -AFP