    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [May 17, 2004]
    [Pages 893-894]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Death of Iraqi Governing Council President Izz al-Din
    al-Salim
    May 17, 2004

        On behalf of the American people, I condemn the brutal act of
    terrorism against Iraqi Governing Council President Izz al-Din al-Salim
    and several Iraqi citizens. Mr. Salim was a man of courage who risked
    his life in pursuit of a free, democratic, and prosperous Iraq. I offer
    our deepest condolences to the victims' families. I pray that God may
    give them strength in this hour of grief.
        On June 30, the flag of a free Iraq will be raised, and Iraq's new
    interim government will assume sovereign authority. The terrorists know
    that a free Iraq will be a major defeat for the cause of terror, so they
    are trying to shake our confidence and will. The terrorists have found
    little support among the Iraqi people. The vast majority of Iraqi people
    want a free society. And the terrorists will find no success in their
    attempts to shake the will of America and our coalition.

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