Bush says Rumsfeld to step down, Gates to replace

Washington, Nov 8 (UNI) US President George W Bush today announced that former CIA Chief Robert Gates will take over as the new Defense secretary in place of Donald Rumsfeld who has sent in his resignation.

Mr Bush made the announcement after his Republican Party's defeat in the yesterday's Congressional election.

A raging revulsion against the Iraq war swept the opposition Democrat Party to victory in the 435-member House of Representatives and brought it close to the winning control of the 100-member senate, ending the 12-year dominance of President Bush's Republican Party in the Congress.

The majority in the Senate, however, depends on the outcome of two states - Montana and Virginia - where narrow margins, have raised the prospects of a recount and delays in the formal announcement of results. Both of these have narrow Democratic leads.

Admitting that his policy on Iraq was not working well enough, Mr Bush said there was a need of fresh perspective on the issue.

UNI XC SI VA BST0009