The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Washington - U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is under fire over Iraq again, after admitting to using a machine to sign condolence letters to the families of soldiers killed in the country. Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska said Sunday he had "no confidence in Rumsfeld's leadership," following the defence secretary's pledge that he would in future sign each letter of condolence himself. The row over the letters stoked the debate over whether President George W. Bush should have replaced the blunt secretary of defence who has been criticized over his handling of the Iraq war, including instances of Iraqi prisoner abuse by U.S. troops. Washington - U.S. President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Slovakia in late February as part of the American administration's attempts to smooth international relations, according to reports. Speaking during his end-of-year news conference Monday at the White House, Bush said he and Putin have "a good personal relationship," and that he intends to keep it that way. Putin has come under international criticism for a number of moves critics say are taking the country away from democracy. Washington - U.S. President George W. Bush says the recent election in Afghanistan and upcoming votes in Iraq and Palestinian territories will help promote democracy throughout the world.
