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Skriven 2007-02-16 23:31:08 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0702162) for Fri, 2007 Feb 16
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President Bush Meets with Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Ambassador-Designee to
Iraq
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 16, 2007

President Bush Meets with Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Ambassador-Designee to
Iraq
The Oval Office

President's Remarks

˙˙˙˙˙ In Focus: Renewal in Iraq

1:43 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: I just had a lengthy conversation with our nominee to be the
ambassador from the United States to Iraq. I've gotten to know Ambassador
Ryan Crocker during my time as President because he's been -- fulfilled a
very important mission for the United States, and that is the Ambassador to
Pakistan, where he served ably and served well. And I'm confident I picked
the right man to be our new ambassador in Iraq.

The Ambassador will follow General David Petraeus into Iraq, so now we've
got a new military commander and a new head of our diplomatic mission
there. These are two competent individuals who will help us implement our
new strategy in the country of Iraq. And that new strategy has said that
we're going to help this young Iraqi government be able to sustain itself
and defend itself by enforcing security in the capital city.

I was telling the Ambassador that I had a visit today with Prime Minister
Maliki via secure SVTS. I was pleased that he's meeting benchmarks that he
had set out for his government. One of the benchmarks was to move Iraqi
troops into the city of Baghdad -- troops that will be complemented by our
own troops. He is meeting those obligations. A second such benchmark is
that he would change the rules of engagement so that criminals, regardless
of their religion, would be brought to justice in equal fashion. He is
meeting that benchmark. Thirdly, he passed a budget of which $10 billion is
available for reconstruction. He said he would do that; the budget has been
passed, he has met that benchmark.

And that's good news for the Iraqi people. And it should give people here
in the United States confidence that this government knows its
responsibilities and is following through on those responsibilities.

And so the Ambassador heads into a really important assignment, carrying a
message of hope to the Iraqi people that the United States wants them to
succeed, and a message of urgency to the Iraqi government that our patience
is not unlimited and that we expect that government to perform. And as I
said, I was able to tell the Prime Minister how much -- how closely we're
watching, that we've got a good new man coming as ambassador, and that we
appreciate the fact that he's beginning to meet the benchmarks that he set
out for his people.

Mr. Ambassador, Godspeed, and thank you.

AMBASSADOR CROCKER: Thank you, sir. Pleased to have your confidence.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

By the way, we're looking forward to quick Senate confirmation. He's had
his hearing, and of course, when I call him "Ambassador," it's not
ambassador to Iraq, it's ambassador designee to Iraq, but ambassador now in
Pakistan. And the Senate needs to confirm him as quickly as possible so he
can join General Petraeus and do the job.

Thank you.

END 1:46 P.M. EST

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