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Rumsfeld Denies Pentagon Held Back Troops

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld denies reports that the Pentagon refused requests for more troops by the U.S. commander for the war in Iraq, Gen. Tommy Franks. Rumsfeld defends the war plan for Iraq as "excellent," and notes that Gen. Franks drafted the U.S. battle strategy. NPR's Tom Gjelten reports.

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Tom Gjelten reports on religion, faith, and belief for NPR News, a beat that encompasses such areas as the changing religious landscape in America, the formation of personal identity, the role of religion in politics, and conflict arising from religious differences. His reporting draws on his many years covering national and international news from posts in Washington and around the world.