Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld speaks with chief speechwriter Marc Thiessen prior to giving reporters an operational update on Operation Iraqi Freedom at a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003. The United States faces ``a long, hard slog'' in the fight against al-Qaida, Rumsfeld said in a pointed memo raising questions about the future of the war on terrorism. The Pentagon released a copy of the memo, dated Oct. 16 and first reported by USA Today on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2003. (AP Photo/Dept. of Defense, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Andy Dunaway)