Rumsfeld warns Iraqis against corruption

He said the United States also opposed any move to delay the political schedule in Iraq, which includes drafting a new constitution by mid-August and elections in December.

After meeting Rumsfeld, Iraq's recently named prime minister, moderate Islamist Ibrahim Jaafari, said he would fight corruption in the transitional government.

"I don't deny that there are challenges," Jaafari told reporters after the brief meeting.

"I am sure we are going to form very good ministries. All of them (workers) they are good technocrats. They are very effective from different backgrounds. So I think we can cooperate, all of us, and face these challenges successfully."

Rumsfeld's ninth visit to Iraq since the 2003 invasion came as the US military hopes to cut troop numbers there next year, as long as Iraqi security forces continue to improve.

"The presence of (US) security forces is not going to be something that is going to go on forever," he told reporters on his military transport plane that flew direct from Washington.

Despite progress last week with the naming of Jaafari and President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, to lead the transitional government, political factions are still jockeyeing for power.

Rumsfeld said decisions such as ministerial appointments should be for the good of Iraq and not based on party loyalties.

"It's important that the new government be attentive to the competence of the people in the ministries and that they avoid unnecessary turbulence," he told reporters.

"We have an opportunity to continue to make progress politically, economically ... anything that would delay that or disrupt that as a result of turbulence, or lack of confidence or corruption in government, would be unfortunate."

He noted a legal provision allowed for a delay of up to six months in writing a new constitution before the next round of elections but said the United States would oppose such a move.

"If someone wants to hang around waiting for perfection in this business, you are unlikely to find it. And you are never going to have a political process," he said.

He began his day in Iraq with talks on the military situation with US Army General George Casey, the top American commander in Iraq, and Army Lieutenant-General John Vines, commander of multinational forces.