Sun Dec 3, 9:17 AM ET
The U.S. ambassador to Iraq said Sunday a classified memo that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld sent to the White House shortly before he resigned was part of the administration's broad effort to assess progress in Iraq.
The report and recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, which are to be released on Wednesday, have encouraged policymakers to consider what adjustments are needed in Iraq policy.
"It's a good thing. It's energizing to review and adjust and the secretary of defense was offering his own ideas. Others in the administration have also sent their ideas for consideration," U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad said.
Khalilzad did not say who else had made recommendations or what has been suggested.
The ambassador was asked if he agreed with Rumsfeld's recommendation that the U.S. greatly reduce its military presence in Iraq.
"Strategically, over the long term, that is right thing to do. The question is whether in the current circumstances in the short term that is the right thing to do," Khalilzad said.
Rumsfeld, in the memo first reported in Sunday's New York Times, said the Iraq strategy is not working and a major change in tactics is needed.
"We would have liked to see more progress sooner," the ambassador said when asked about Rumsfeld's bleak assessment. "There are areas in which changes are important to look at to see if we could do better."
The ambassador spoke on "Late Edition" on CNN.