WASHINGTON, April 18: US President George Bush said on Tuesday that his embattled defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, is doing ‘a fine job’, rebuffing calls from several retired generals that Mr Rumsfeld resign.

“I listen to all voices, but mine is a final decision, and Donald Rumsfeld is doing a fine job,” Mr Bush told reporters at the White House.

“On Friday I stood up and said I don’t appreciate the speculation about Don Rumsfeld, he is doing a fine job, I strongly support him,” Mr Bush added, underscoring: “I have strong confidence in Donald Rumsfeld.”

The retired generals, some of whom served in Iraq, have called for Mr Rumsfeld to resign over his handling of the conflict, and they criticised his management style as ‘arrogant’.

On Monday, Mr Rumsfeld dismissed calls by retired generals for his ouster, telling conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh: “This, too, will pass.”

Mr Rumsfeld’s live interview with Mr Limbaugh came amid what appeared to be a concerted administration campaign to shore up support for Mr Rumsfeld and stem an outpouring of criticism of his leadership by six retired generals.

The White House and the Pentagon highlighted recent statements by other top retired generals who decried the attacks by retired officers as inappropriate in a war and defended Mr Rumsfeld’s effectiveness as defence secretary.

Mr Rumsfeld said he was pleased that some generals had stepped forward to defend him.

Asked how it felt to go from Washington sex symbol to having ‘practically the entire media jump on the case of these six generals demanding your ouster’, Mr Rumsfeld said: “You know, this, too, will pass.”—AFP