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Skriven 2006-12-02 23:31:08 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (061202) for Sat, 2006 Dec 2
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President's Radio Address
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 2, 2006

President's Radio Address


ÿÿÿÿÿ Audio ÿÿÿÿÿ In Focus: Renewal in Iraq ÿÿÿÿÿ

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I returned home this week from a visit to the
Middle East. On my trip, I met with Prime Minister Maliki of Iraq to
discuss how we can improve the situation on the ground in his country and
help the Iraqis build a lasting democracy.

My meeting with Prime Minister Maliki was our third since he took office
six months ago. With each meeting, I'm coming to know him better, and I'm
becoming more impressed by his desire to make the difficult choices that
will put his country on a better path. During our meeting, I told the Prime
Minister that America is ready to make changes to better support the unity
government of Iraq, and that several key principles will guide our efforts.

ÿRadio Address
  þ 2006
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ÿRadio Interviews
  þ 2005
  þ 2004
First, the success of Prime Minister Maliki's government is critical to
success in Iraq. His unity government was chosen through free elections in
which nearly 12 million Iraqis cast their ballots in support of democracy.
Our goal in Iraq is to strengthen his democratic government and help Iraq's
leaders build a free nation that can govern itself, sustain itself, and
defend itself -- and is an ally in the war on terror.

Second, the success of the Iraqi government depends on the success of the
Iraqi security forces. The training of Iraqi security forces has been
steady, yet we both agreed that we need to do more, and we need to do it
faster. The Prime Minister wants to show the people who elected him that
he's willing to make the hard decisions necessary to provide security.

To do that, he needs larger and more capable Iraqi forces under his
control, and he needs them quickly. By helping Iraq's elected leaders get
the Iraqi forces they need, we will help Iraq's democratic government
become more effective in fighting the terrorists and other violent
extremists, and in providing security and stability, particularly in
Baghdad.

Third, success in Iraq requires strong institutions that will stand the
test of time and hardship. Our goal in Iraq is to help Prime Minister
Maliki build a country that is united, where the rule of law prevails and
the rights of minorities are respected. The Prime Minister made clear that
splitting his country into parts is not what the Iraqi people want and that
any partition of Iraq would lead to an increase in sectarian violence.

Security in Iraq requires sustained action by the Iraqi security forces,
yet in the long term, security in Iraq hinges on reconciliation among
Iraq's different ethnic and religious communities. And the Prime Minister
has committed his government to achieving that goal.

The Prime Minister and I also discussed the review of America's strategy in
Iraq that is now nearing completion. As part of this review, I've asked our
military leaders in the Pentagon and those on the ground in Iraq to provide
their recommendations on the best way forward.

A bipartisan panel, led by former Secretary of State James Baker and former
Congressman Lee Hamilton, is also conducting a review. And I look forward
to receiving their report next week. I want to hear all advice before I
make any decisions about adjustments to our strategy in Iraq.

I recognize that the recent violence in Iraq has been unsettling. Many
people in our country are wondering about the way forward. The work ahead
will not be easy, yet by helping Prime Minister Maliki strengthen Iraq's
democratic institutions and promote national reconciliation, our military
leaders and diplomats can help put Iraq on a solid path to liberty and
democracy. The decisions we make in Iraq will be felt across the broader
Middle East.

Failure in Iraq would embolden the extremists who hate America and want
nothing more than to see our demise. It would strengthen the hand of those
who are seeking to undermine young democracies across the region and give
the extremists an open field to overthrow moderate governments, take
control of countries, impose their rule on millions, and threaten the
American people. Our Nation must not allow this to happen.

Success in Iraq will require leaders in Washington -- Republicans and
Democrats alike -- to come together and find greater consensus on the best
path forward. So I will work with leaders in both parties to achieve this
goal. Together we can help Iraqis build a free and democratic nation in the
heart of the Middle East, strengthen moderates and reformers across the
region who are working for peace, and leave our children and grandchildren
a more secure and hopeful world.

Thank you for listening.

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