Senior US Democrats sought to raise the heat on embattled Donald Rumsfeld today as Republicans and the Pentagon came together to defend him and the way he has conducted the war in Iraq.
The battle of words over Mr Rumsfeld, his relations with military leaders and the Iraq war followed unusual public calls in the past week for his resignation from six retired generals, which prompted a rebuke from the Pentagon.
"My view is that the secretary should step aside," New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, a potential Democratic presidential candidate, told CBS's "Face the Nation" program.
"Besides the fact that the Iraq war has been mismanaged ... we should listen to what these generals are saying."
Those urging Mr Rumsfeld to step down include Maj Gen John Batiste, who commanded the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq, and Maj Gen Charles Swannack, who led the Army's 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq, and former NATO commander Gen Wesley Clark.
"These are six distinguished military officers," Mr Richardson said. "They basically are saying that Secretary Rumsfeld, on issues relating to military strategy ... didn't listen to them. ... This reaches a new level ... of not being willing to admit mistakes, not being willing to change a course, policy that is just not working."
Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," said the United States had "wiped out a lot of the people who would do us harm" during Mr Rumsfeld's tenure.
"I think the important thing to remember here is that we haven't been attacked again at home since September of 2001," he said.
The New York Timesreported today the Pentagon had issued a memorandum to civilian military analysts and former top military commanders, some of whom appear often on television, to challenge criticism that Mr Rumsfeld was deaf to the views of military leaders.
Republican Sen George Allen of Virginia said on "Face the Nation" the criticism of Mr Rumsfeld amounted to "scapegoating" and that firing him would not resolve the Iraq situation.
Sen Richardson, who served in President Bill Clinton's Cabinet, said the continued high level of violence in Iraq and failure of its leaders to form a government suggests the US presence in Iraq is counterproductive.
"What you're seeing is deep frustration in the military," he said, "deep frustration within our troops who are not getting enough armor. ... It is obvious that Secretary Rumsfeld did not listen to them. ... That's why we're in this morass.
"Our presence there is leading to increasing danger to our troops but also to our objectives in the Middle East."