    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [May 15, 2004]
    [Pages 888-889]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    May 15, 2004

        Good morning. This week, our Nation was sickened by the murder of an
    American civilian, Nicholas Berg. The savage
    execution of this innocent man reminds us of the true nature of our
    terrorist enemy and of the stakes in this struggle. The terrorists
    rejoice in the killing of the innocent and have promised similar
    violence against Americans, against all free peoples, and against any
    Muslims who reject their ideology of murder. Their barbarism cannot be
    appeased, and their hatred cannot be satisfied. There's only one way to
    deal with terror: We must confront the enemy and stay on the offensive
    until these killers are defeated.
        And this is precisely what our Armed Forces and the forces of our
    coalition are doing. In and around Fallujah, U.S. marines are conducting
    joint patrols with local Iraqis to take back the city from
    Saddam loyalists and foreign fighters and
    other militants. In nearby towns, marines are conducting raids to
    disrupt enemy attacks on our supply routes and to root out anticoalition
    fighters.
        To the south, in and around the cities of Najaf and Karbala, U.S.
    Army soldiers and Iraqi security forces are systematically dismantling
    the illegal militia led by the radical cleric Al Sadr that has incited violence and attempted to seize control.
    Iraqi security forces ejected elements of this militia from a mosque in
    Karbala that was being used to store ammunition. The Iraqi people oppose
    the actions of this illegal militia, and Shi'a religious leaders have
    called on it to withdraw. Recent days have seen demonstrations in which
    ordinary Iraqis have taken to the streets, calling on the militia to
    withdraw from their cities and towns.

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        As we attack and defeat the enemies of freedom in Iraq, we will
    continue to work with Iraqi leaders to build a free, democratic, and
    independent government. The United Nations special envoy, Mr.
    Brahimi, is now back in Iraq, consulting
    with diverse groups of Iraqis. In the next few weeks, important
    decisions will be made on the makeup of an interim government. And on
    June 30th, the flag of a free Iraq will be raised, and Iraq's new
    interim government will assume a sovereign authority.
        America will keep its commitment to the independence and national
    dignity of the Iraqi people. Yet the vital mission of our military in
    helping to provide security will continue on July 1st and beyond. Under
    the leadership of Major General David Petraeus, coalition forces are training thousands of Iraqis to
    protect a free Iraq from external aggression and internal subversion.
    Our forces will remain in Iraq to assist the Iraqi people until Iraqis
    can secure their own country.
        Our country has great respect for the Iraqi people, and we are
    determined to expose and punish the abuse of Iraqi detainees. Charges
    have been filed against seven soldiers, and the first trial is set to
    begin next week. My administration and our military are determined that
    such abuses never happen again.
        All Americans know that the actions of a few do not reflect the true
    character of the United States Armed Forces. No military in the history
    of the world has fought so hard and so often for the freedom of others.
    Today, our forces are keeping terrorists across the world on the run.
    They're helping the people of Afghanistan and Iraq build democratic
    societies, making America more secure. By their example, the people of
    those countries and of the countries around the world are coming to know
    that freedom is the answer to hopelessness and terror. Our service men
    and women are defending America with unselfish courage, and their
    achievements have brought pride and credit to this Nation.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 7:56 a.m. on May 14 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on May 15. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    May 14 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his
    address, the President referred to American hostage Nicholas Berg, who
    was killed in Iraq in early May by senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab
    Al Zarqawi; Muqtada Al Sadr, Iraqi Shiite cleric whose militia engaged
    in an uprising in Iraq that began in early April; Lakhdar Brahimi,
    Special Adviser to the U.N. Secretary-General; and Maj. Gen. David H.
    Petraeus, USA, incoming chief, Office of Security Transition--Iraq. The
    Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language
    transcript of this address.