WASHINGTON —  Leading Democrats on Capitol Hill want Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats sent President Bush an open letter outlining criticisms over his Iraq policy and Rumsfeld's leadership.

Democrats say Bush's "stay the course strategy" has failed to make America more secure and needs to be changed.

They also say that "the current civilian leadership" at the Pentagon is not "suited to implement and oversee" a change in policy.

The White House rejected Democrats' calls for replacing Rumsfeld.

"It's not going to happen," presidential spokesman Tony Snow said. "Creating Don Rumsfeld as a bogeyman may make for good politics but would make for very lousy strategy at this time."