[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
[November 20, 2003]
[Pages 1590-1591]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Declaration on Iraq by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony 
Blair
November 20, 2003

    For the first time in decades, the Iraqi people are enjoying the 
taste of freedom. Iraqis are starting to rebuild their country and can 
look to a brighter future. They are free of Saddam Hussein and his vicious regime; they can speak freely; 
practice their religion; and start to come to terms with the nightmare 
of the last 35 years, in which hundreds of thousands of Iraqis were 
murdered by their own government.
    But Iraq is still threatened by followers of the former regime, and 
by outside terrorists who are helping them. The struggle is difficult. 
Yet we shall persevere to ensure that the people of Iraq will prevail, 
with the support of the new and strengthening Iraqi security forces: the 
police, the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, the Facility Protection Service, 
the border police, and the New Iraqi Army. We salute the courage of 
those Iraqis and the coalition forces engaged in the struggle against 
reactionary elements in Iraq who want to turn back the clock to the dark 
days of Saddam's regime.
    We reaffirm the resolve of our two countries, with many friends and 
allies, to complete the process of bringing freedom, security, and peace 
to Iraq.
    We warmly welcome the Iraqi Governing Council's announcement of a 
timetable for the creation of a sovereign Iraqi Transitional 
Administration by the end of June 2004, and for a process leading to the 
adoption of a permanent constitution and national elections for a new 
Iraqi government by the end of 2005.

[[Page 1591]]

    This announcement is consistent with our long-stated aim of handing 
over power to Iraqis as quickly as possible. It is right that Iraqis are 
making these decisions and for the first time in generations determining 
their own future. We welcome the Governing Council's commitment to 
ensuring the widest possible participation in the Transitional Assembly 
and constitutional process.
    We reaffirm our long-term commitment to Iraq. The United States and 
United Kingdom stand ready to support the Transitional Administration in 
its task of building a new Iraq and its democratic institutions. Our 
military participation in the multinational force in Iraq will serve the 
Iraqi people until the Iraqis themselves are able to discharge full 
responsibility for their own security. At the same time, we hope that 
international partners will increasingly participate in the 
multinational force.
    Our long-term political, moral, and financial commitment to the 
reconstruction of Iraq was underlined at the Madrid Donors Conference 
last month. Although the Coalition Provisional Authority will come to an 
end once the Transitional Administration is installed, the United States 
and United Kingdom will continue to provide assistance as part of the 
international support effort. In these tasks, we welcome the involvement 
of other nations, regardless of earlier differences; of the United 
Nations and the International Financial Institutions; and of the many 
non-governmental organizations who are able to make an important 
contribution.
    Great challenges remain in Iraq. But the progress we have made this 
year has been enormous. Iraqis no longer live in fear of their own 
government, and Iraq's neighbors no long feel threatened. Our resolve to 
complete the task we set ourselves remains undiminished. Our partnership 
with the Iraqi people is for the long-term.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.