Rumsfeld in Baghdad, 18 killed in explosions

8216;8216;They are hoping to cause members of the coalition to decide that the pain and ugliness and the difficulty of the task is simply too great,8217;8217; Rumsfeld said. 8216;8216;They know they cannot defeat us militarily. But they are hoping they can win the test of wills. It8217;s a battle of morale. It8217;s a battle of perception,8217;8217; declared Rumsfeld, whose visit comes about three weeks before the US Presidential election.

Rumsfeld, who held separate meetings with US commanders, US Ambassador John Negroponte and interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi in Baghdad, arrived a few hours after two blasts ripped through the capital.

The first explosion was near the Oil Ministry building near a police academy, at around 7 am. Ministry spokesman Assem Jihad said 17 people were killed by a suicide car bomb that may have exploded before it reached the academy, where recruits were lining up.

In eastern Baghdad, the US military said a suicide bomber attacked a US convoy, wounding an American soldier who later died. Two civilians were also wounded. The ministry official said the bomber8217;s charred body was found inside his vehicle.