Rummy Losing It

"You ought to just back off, take a look at it, relax, understand that it's complicated, it's difficult," Rumsfeld said regarding deadlines. "Honorable people are working on these things together. There isn't any daylight between them."

Rumsfeld also said the U.S. is considering whether it should speed up money planned for recruiting, training and equipping Iraqi security forces. Officials have said training Iraqis to take over security is key to withdrawing U.S. and other coalition forces.

"We intend to increase their budgets" as well as their capabilities, Rumsfeld said, and officials will help make the improvements more quickly. He did not cite any figures, however. His press secretary, Eric Ruff, said a review of their needs is under way.