Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld paid a surprise farewell visit to American troops in Iraq and told them U.S. forces must stay until the enemy is defeated.

Rumsfeld's unannounced visit came one day after he gave a farewell address at the Pentagon and nine days before he is replaced by Robert Gates.

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"Donald Rumsfeld is in Iraq. He is making a farewell visit to say thank you to the troops," a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad told Reuters on Sunday.

Rumsfeld, who became a lightning rod for world criticism of the Iraq war, announced his resignation in November, the day after Republicans lost control of both Houses of the U.S. Congress amid voter unhappiness with the war.

"The enemy must be defeated," the Department of Defense Web site quoted Rumsfeld as telling Marines and soldiers at Al Asad air base in western Anbar province on Saturday.

"General (John) Abizaid (U.S. Central Command chief) said: 'We can certainly walk away from this enemy, but they will not walk away from us,'" Rumsfeld said.

Earlier on Saturday, President George W. Bush called on Democrats and Republicans to work together on a new strategy for the war in Iraq after a high-level group said the administration's current approach was not working.

"Because this conflict is new and unfamiliar and complex, it is understandable that there will be differences about the direction our country should take," Rumsfeld told the troops.

"But we ought not confuse the political debate that takes place at home with a wavering of support or appreciation for your service or your achievements."

Bush is under pressure to change strategy in the unpopular war, with sectarian violence rising and a growing number of Americans unhappy with his handling of the conflict. More than 2,900 U.S. soldiers have been killed since the U.S. invasion in 2003.