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Skriven 2007-08-18 23:30:54 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (070818) for Sat, 2007 Aug 18
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President's Radio Address
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For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary August 18, 2007

President's Radio Address

˙˙President's Radio Address
˙˙Audio ˙˙En Espa¤ol

˙˙˙˙˙ In Focus: Iraq

In recent months, American and Iraqi forces have struck powerful blows
against al Qaeda terrorists and violent extremists in Anbar and other
provinces. In recent days, our troops and Iraqi allies launched a new
offensive called Phantom Strike. In this offensive, we are carrying out
targeted operations against terrorists and extremists fleeing Baghdad and
other key cities -- to prevent them from returning or setting up new bases
of operation. The terrorists remain dangerous and brutal, as we saw this
week when they massacred more than 200 innocent Yezidis, a small religious
minority in northwestern Iraq. Our hearts go out to the families of those
killed, and our troops are going to go after the murderers behind this
horrific attack.

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˙ As we surge combat operations to capture and kill the enemy, we are also
surging Provincial Reconstruction Teams to promote political and economic
progress. Since January, we have doubled the number of these teams, known
as PRTs. They bring together military, civilian, and diplomatic personnel
to help Iraqi communities rebuild infrastructure, create jobs, and
encourage reconciliation from the ground up. These teams are now deployed
throughout the country, and they are helping Iraqis make political gains,
especially at the local level.

In Anbar province, at this time last year, the terrorists were in control
of many areas and brutalizing the local population. Then local sheikhs
joined with American forces to drive the terrorists out of Ramadi and other
cities. Residents began to provide critical intelligence, and tribesmen
joined the Iraqi police and security forces. Today, the provincial council
in Ramadi is back, and last month provincial officials re-opened parts of
the war-damaged government center with the help of one of our PRTs.
Thirty-five local council members were present as the chairman called the
body to order for its inaugural session.

Similar scenes are taking place in other parts of Anbar. Virtually every
city and town in the province now has a mayor and a functioning municipal
council. The rule of law is being restored. And last month, some 40 judges
held a conference in Anbar to restart major criminal trials. In the far
west town of al Qaim, tribal leaders turned against the terrorists. Today,
those tribal leaders head the regional mayor's office and the local police
force. Our PRT leader on the ground reports that al Qaim is seeing new
construction, growing commercial activity, and an increasing number of
young men volunteering for the Iraqi army and police.

In other provinces, there are also signs of progress from the bottom up. In
Muthanna, an overwhelmingly Shia province, the local council held a public
meeting to hear from citizens on how to spend their budget and rebuild
their neighborhoods. In Diyala province, the city of Baqubah re-opened six
of its banks, providing residents with much-needed capital for the local
economy. And in Ninewa province, local officials have established a
commission to investigate corruption, with a local judge empowered to
pursue charges of fraud and racketeering.

Unfortunately, political progress at the national level has not matched the
pace of progress at the local level. The Iraqi government in Baghdad has
many important measures left to address, such as reforming the
de-Baathification laws, organizing provincial elections, and passing a law
to formalize the sharing of oil revenues. Yet, the Iraqi parliament has
passed about 60 pieces of legislation.

And despite the lack of oil revenue law on the books, oil revenue sharing
is taking place. The Iraqi parliament has allocated more than $2 billion in
oil revenue for the provinces. And the Shia-led government in Baghdad is
sharing a significant portion of these oil revenues with Sunni provincial
leaders in places like Anbar.

America will continue to urge Iraq's leaders to meet the benchmarks they
have set. Yet Americans can be encouraged by the progress and
reconciliation that are taking place at the local level. An American
politician once observed that "all politics is local." In a democracy, over
time national politics reflects local realities. And as reconciliation
occurs in local communities across Iraq, it will help create the conditions
for reconciliation in Baghdad as well.

Thank you for listening.





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