ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: As we told you a moment ago, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is on his way to Iraq and Afghanistan. Earlier today he spoke with reporters, who were onboard his plane. CNN Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr is among them and she has this update.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld beginning a week-long post-war tour of the Persian Gulf region. Defense officials say he is expected to make a stop in Iraq to thank the troops for what they accomplished. But, this is also a look ahead. He will meeting with regional leaders and senior U.S. military officials to discuss the future U.S. military presence in the region as combat winds down in both Afghanistan and Iraq. First a stop in Afghanistan to discuss the security situation there and then on to the Persian Gulf. With Iraq no long a threat to it's neighbors, especially Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The top issue on the agenda is what will be the future presence of U.S. troops? How many and how long will they stay?</s>DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: We've got a lot of hard work left. People are still being shot at and in some cases killed and wounded and the task before us in Iraq is clearly a -- one that's going to take a lot of attention, a lot of focus and a lot of effort over a period of time.</s>STARR: And Defense Secretary Rumsfeld also told reporters traveling with him that he has now seen reports of the first interrogation with Tariq Aziz, the former Iraqi deputy prime minister and Mr. Rumsfeld said it's too soon to tell whether Tariq Aziz will cooperate with the United States. (on camera): Barbara Starr, CNN, Shannon, Ireland.
Rumsfeld Begins Tour of Iraq, Afghanistan