'US not winning war in Iraq'

Washington: The US is not winning the war in Iraq, according to the man President Bush wants to replace Donald Rumsfeld.

In a candid assessment of America's position, defence secretary nominee Robert Gates also said that the Middle East is in danger of exploding into violence.

The former CIA director was asked the question during a session with the Senate Armed Services Committee, who later recommended that he be confirmed as successor to Donald Rumsfeld.

His nomination will now move to the full Senate, where he is expected to win approval within the next few days.

Gates did add however that the US wasn't losing the war either, and that he was using the term in the context of the US goal of stabilizing Iraq.

He told senators Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran and Syria were all likely to get involved in Iraq if it was left in chaos and said he would have to talk to military commanders and strategists before deciding on the best way to solve the crisis in Iraq.

But he stressed that America's next move would be important, saying: "Our course over the next year or two will determine whether the American and Iraqi people and the next president of the United States will face a slowly and steadily improving situation in Iraq and in the region or will face the very real risk of a regional conflagration."

In the hearing Gates also told senators he believed Iran was trying to acquire nuclear arms capability but that military action should be an "absolute last resort'' and said he also did not favour attacking Syria.

"I think the consequences of military conflict with Iran could be quite dramatic," he added.