[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.

[[Page 889]]

    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.