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Skriven 2006-01-10 23:33:24 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (060110) for Tue, 2006 Jan 10
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Fact Sheet: Progress and the Work Ahead in Iraq
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 10, 2006

Fact Sheet: Progress and the Work Ahead in Iraq


ÿÿÿÿÿPresident Addresses Veterans of Foreign Wars on the War on Terror
ÿÿÿÿÿNational Strategy for Victory in Iraq

Today, President Bush Addressed Members Of The Veterans Of Foreign Wars On
Progress On Our Strategy For Victory In Iraq. The President discussed the
political, security, and economic elements of the strategy for victory in
the central front of the War on Terror, what has been achieved, the
challenges faced at the start of 2006, and what the American people can
expect to see in the year ahead.

The Political Component Of Victory In Iraq:

In The Past 12 Months, Iraq Has Undergone A Political Transformation That
Is Virtually Without Precedent. Iraqis have completed three successful
nationwide elections, voted for a transitional government, drafted the most
progressive, democratic constitution in the Arab world, approved that
constitution, and elected a new government under their new constitution.
Each successive election has seen less violence, bigger turnout, and
broader participation than the one before.
  þ The Process Of Forming A New National Government Will Take Time And
    Patience. When the final election results come in, Iraqi leaders will
    begin working to form a new government. In the weeks ahead, Americans
    will likely see political turmoil in Iraq - as different factions and
    leaders compete for position and jockey for power. Yet out of this
    debate will emerge a free government that represents the will of the
    Iraqi people.

Iraqis Have Shown They Can Come Together For The Sake Of National Unity.
After the January 2005 elections, Shia and Kurdish leaders who did well at
the polls reached out to Sunni Arabs who failed to participate. Now Iraqis
must reach out once again across political, religious, and sectarian lines
and form a government of national unity. In the December 2005 elections,
Sunnis turned out in large numbers. Sunnis who abandoned violence to join
the political process must learn to use their influence to benefit their
community and the country at large. Shia and Kurds need to understand that
successful free societies protect minority rights. The success of Iraqi
democracy will come when political divisions are driven not by sectarian
rivalries but by ideas, convictions, and a common vision for the future.

Iraq's New Leaders Will Face Tough Decisions. When a government assumes
office, Iraq's new leaders will face tough decisions on issues such as
security, reconstruction, and economic reform, and they will have to review
and possibly amend the constitution. If amendments are approved, these
changes will be once again taken to the Iraqi people for approval in a
referendum before year's end. During this transition, America and our
Coalition partners will continue to help Iraqis build an impartial system
of justice, combat corruption by strengthening the Commission on Public
Integrity, and build effective government ministries. As Iraq's leaders
take these steps to build a strong democracy, foreign terrorists and
Saddamists will continue to fight this progress. Yet with the recent
elections, the enemies of a free Iraq have suffered a real defeat, and the
Saddamists and rejectionists are increasingly marginalized. The terrorists
and regime loyalists are no match for millions of Iraqis determined to live
in liberty.

The Security Component Of Victory In Iraq:

America And Its Coalition Partners Are Helping Iraqis Defend Their
Democracy By Training Iraqi Security Forces. Last November, the President
described many of the changes made over the past year to improve the
training of the Iraqi army and police, and the fruits of those changes were
seen during the December elections. Iraqi forces took the lead in election
security - protecting over 6,000 polling centers, disrupting attacks, and
maintaining order. Due in large part to their courage and skill, the number
of attacks during the elections declined dramatically compared with the
January vote.
  þ Iraqi Security Forces Are Growing In Size And Strength. As Iraqis see
    their own countrymen defending them against the terrorists and
    Saddamists, they are stepping forward with needed intelligence. General
    Casey reports that the number of tips from Iraqis has grown from 400 in
    March 2005 to over 4,700 last month.

In 2006, The Coalition Will Focus Efforts On Improving The Performance Of
Iraqi Police. Iraqi Army and police are increasingly able to take the lead
in the fight, yet the Iraqi police still lag behind the Army in training
and capabilities. One of the major goals in 2006 is to accelerate Iraqi
police training and improve the performance of the Ministry of Interior's
Special Police, the border police, and the local station police.
  þ The Coalition Will Work To Improve The Interior Ministry's Special
    Police. The Interior Ministry's Special Police are the most capable
    Iraqi police force, and about 19,000 trained and equipped - near our
    goal for a complete force. Many are professional and diverse, but
    recently some have been accused of committing abuses against Iraqi
    civilians. To stop abuses and increase professionalism, the Coalition
    is working with the Iraqi government to make adjustments in the way
    these forces are trained. Human rights and rule of law training is
    being increased. A new Police Ethics and Leadership Institute is being
    established in Baghdad. To improve capabilities, Iraqi Special Police
    battalions will be partnered with Coalition battalions so that American
    forces can work with and train their Iraqi counterparts.
  þ The Coalition Is Helping To Increase The Border Police To Defend Iraq's
    Frontiers And Stop Foreign Terrorists From Crossing Into The Country.
    Manning entrances by land, sea, and air ports across the country, Iraq
    now has 18,000 border police on the job, with the goal of 28,000
    trained and equipped by the end of 2006. To better train border police,
    a new customs academy in Basra has been established, and the Coalition
    is embedding border police transition teams with Iraqi units, made up
    of Coalition soldiers and assisted by Department of Homeland Security
    experts. Iraqi border forces are growing increasingly capable and
    taking on more responsibility. In November, these forces took the lead
    in protecting Iraq's Syrian border. The Coalition expects to hand over
    primary responsibility for all of Iraq's borders to Iraqi border police
    later this year.
  þ The Coalition Is Helping Iraqis Increase The Size And Capabilities Of
    The Local Station Police. These local Iraqi police forces need the most
    work. There are now over 80,000 local police officers across Iraq - a
    little more than halfway toward the goal of 135,000. To improve the
    capabilities of these local police, the Coalition is partnering local
    Iraqi police units with teams of U.S. military police and international
    police liaison officers, including retired U.S. police officers. These
    officers will work with provincial police chiefs and focus on improving
    local police forces in nine key cities that have seen intense fighting
    with the terrorists - Baghdad, Baquba, Fallujah, Kirkuk, Mosul, Najaf,
    Ramadi, Samarra, and Tal Afar.

As More Iraqi Forces Come On Line, The Coalition Will Focus On Preparing
Those Forces To Take Primary Responsibility For Security. Already more than
35 Iraqi battalions have assumed control of their own areas of
responsibility - including nearly half of Baghdad province and sectors of
South-Central, Southeast, Western and North-Central Iraq. In the year
ahead, the Coalition will continue handing more territory to Iraqi forces,
with the goal of having the Iraqis control more territory than the
Coalition by the end of 2006.
  þ As Iraqis Stand Up, American Forces Will Stand Down. With more Iraqi
    Security Forces demonstrating the capabilities needed to achieve
    victory, American commanders have determined that combat forces can
    decrease from 17 to 15 brigades by the spring of 2006. This adjustment
    will result in a net decrease of several thousand troops below the
    pre-election baseline of 138,000. This comes in addition to the
    reduction of about 20,000 troops in Iraq largely to assist with
    election security. If Iraqis continue to make security and political
    progress, the United States expects to discuss with Iraq's new
    government further possible adjustments. All the President's decisions
    will be based upon conditions on the ground - not artificial timetables
    set by politicians in Washington.

The Economic Component Of Victory In Iraq:
  þ The Coalition Will Continue To Help Iraqis Rebuild Their Infrastructure
    And Economy. Iraq's economy faces real challenges but the Coalition and
    Iraqi leaders have made significant progress in a number of areas. Iraq
    has a stable currency, an independent stock exchange, and an
    independent Central Bank. Iraqis have new investment laws welcoming
    foreign capital, tax and commercial laws encouraging private-sector
    growth, and a low-tariff trade regime opening the economy to the world.
    Unlike under Saddam Hussein, Iraq's new constitution guarantees
    protection of property rights.
  þ Iraqi Leaders Are Also Making Tough Choices Necessary To Reform Their
    Economy. Iraq is easing gasoline subsidies, which made fuel prices
    artificially low, creating incentives for black-market corruption and
    crime. Changing these subsidies is a necessary step on the path to
    reform. Gasoline subsidies, along with other subsidies, consume over
    half of Iraq's annual operating budget - diverting critical resources
    from health, education, infrastructure, and security. Addressing these
    subsides will allow Iraqi leaders to better provide for their people
    and build a modern economy.
  þ One Of The Biggest Challenges Is Restoring The Country's Oil And
    Electric Power Infrastructure. These sectors were devastated by decades
    of neglect - and since liberation, terrorists have targeted these areas
    for destruction. As a result, oil and power production are below
    pre-war levels. To help increase production, the Coalition is helping
    Iraqis better maintain their oil refineries, build oil supply and
    transportation capabilities, improve the capacity to generate power,
    and better protect their strategic infrastructure. Despite the
    challenges they face, seven in 10 Iraqis say their lives are going
    well, and nearly two-thirds expect things to improve - and their
    optimism is justified.

In 2006, The International Community Must Do Its Part To Help Iraqis. So
far, other nations and international organizations have pledged more than
$13 billion in assistance but many have been slow to make good on their
commitments. The President calls on all governments that have pledged
assistance to follow through with their promises so Iraqis can rebuild
their country and provide a better future for their children. The President
also calls on all nations who froze Iraqi assets during the Saddam Hussein
regime to return those assets to the free people of Iraq. Many of the
world's smallest nations have been among the most generous. Last month,
Slovakia joined the United States and Malta in writing off Iraqi debt
completely. More nations should do the same, so Iraq is not held back by
the crushing burden of debt accumulated by Saddam Hussein's regime.
International lending institutions are also stepping forward. Last month,
the International Monetary Fund approved Iraq's request for a $680 million
loan to carry out economic reforms. The World Bank recently approved its
first loan to Iraq in over 30 years.

A Honest And Responsible Debate Here At Home

America Must Debate Its Differences Honestly. There is a vigorous debate
about the war in Iraq, and the President welcomes this debate. But this
debate must be conducted responsibly when American troops are risking their
lives overseas. There is a difference between honest critics who question
the way the war is being prosecuted, and partisan critics who claim that we
acted in Iraq because of oil, because of Israel, or because the American
people were misled.

In A Time Of War, We Have A Responsibility To Show That Whatever Our
Political Differences At Home, Our Nation Is United And Determined To
Prevail. We have a responsibility to the men and women in uniform who
deserve to know that support will be with them in good days and bad. We
will settle for nothing less than complete victory. Support for the mission
in Iraq should not be a partisan matter. Some of our finest men and women
have given their lives in freedom's cause, and we will not waver, or
weaken, or back down from the cause they served.

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