But Rice said she had faith that al-Maliki was a strong leader who will be able to assert control. Filling the security posts is a key step for al-Maliki's plan for Iraqi forces to take control of security from U.S.-led troops in 18 months.

"It's only been a matter of a few weeks since you've had a government in place. Let's give the government a little chance now to get settled in and to really begin to work on this situation," she said.

Sen. Carl Levin, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, disagreed. He said Iraq is in turmoil because leaders cannot agree on the security posts.

"This is a hollow government," said the Michigan lawmaker. By prematurely claiming a victory after a new government was formed weeks ago, Bush "was making the same mistake that he made on the aircraft carrier, which was to say, `Mission accomplished,'" Levin added.

Rice denied that a decision by U.S. military commanders last week to move about 1,500 combat troops from a reserve force in Kuwait into volatile Anbar province to help establish order in an insurgent hotbed was a sign of growing trouble.

Calling it a move to reinforce the region, she said the United States is simply acting in a support role to Iraqi forces "who are in growing numbers and growing competence."

Rice appeared on "Fox News Sunday," CBS's "Face the Nation" and CNN's "Late Edition," which also broadcast the interview with Levin.