Monday, May 1 2006 11:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Fresh from her visit to Baghdad and perhaps eager to answer questions on the 'positive' developments there, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has instead been forced to defend pre-war planning and troop deployment in Iraq after the decisions were criticised by her predecessor Colin Powell.

In every talk show Rice appeared yesterday (Apr 30,2006) she was asked to respond to Powell's statements to a British television network where he said that he had pressed for additional troops to be sent to Iraq.

Rice would neither confirm nor deny Powell's version.

"I don't remember specifically what Secretary Powell may be referring to, but I'm quite certain that there were lots of discussions about how best to fulfill the mission that we went into Iraq," Rice said.

"And I have no doubt that all of this was taken into consideration. But that when it came down to it, the president listens to his military advisers who were to execute the plan," she told CNN's 'Late Edition'.

Powell in his interview had said that he made his views known to Gen Tommy Franks and the Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in the presence of the President.