[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
[June 25, 2005]
[Pages 1067-1069]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
June 25, 2005

    Good morning. This past week, I had the honor of hosting Prime 
Minister Jafari, the leader of Iraq's 
first democratically elected Government in more than a half century.
    Prime Minister Jafari and I 
discussed our strong partnership and the dramatic progress his nation 
has made over the past year. Next Tuesday is the first anniversary of 
the moment the Iraqi people reclaimed their free and sovereign nation. 
To mark that historic date, I will travel to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 
to speak to our troops and the American people about our mission in 
Iraq, why it remains important to our safety here at home, and our two-
track strategy for victory.
    The military track of our strategy is to defeat the terrorists and 
continue helping Iraqis take greater responsibility for defending their 
freedom. The images we see on television are a grim reminder that the 
enemies of freedom in Iraq are ruthless killers with no regard for human 
life. The killers include members of Saddam Hussein's regime, criminal elements, and foreign terrorists. The 
terrorists know that Iraq is a central front in the war on terror, 
because

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they know that a stable and democratic Iraq will deal a severe blow to 
their ideology of oppression and fear.
    The terrorists' objective is to break the will of America and of the 
Iraqi people before democracy can take root. Insurgents have tried to 
achieve that goal before. Two years ago, they tried to intimidate the 
Iraqi Governing Council and failed. Last year, they tried to delay the 
transfer of sovereignty to Iraq and failed. This year, they tried to 
stop the free Iraqi elections and failed. Now the terrorists are trying 
to undermine the new Government and intimidate Iraqis from joining the 
growing Iraqi security forces.
    Yet democracy is moving forward, and more and more Iraqis are 
defying the terrorists by joining the democratic process. Our military 
strategy is clear: We will train Iraqi security forces so they can 
defend their freedom and protect their people, and then our troops will 
return home with the honor they have earned.
    The political track of our strategy is to continue helping Iraqis 
build the institutions of a stable democracy. The Iraqi people have 
taken landmark steps by voting in free elections and forming a 
representative government. Prime Minister Jafari has assured me that his Government is committed to meeting 
its deadline to draft a new constitution for a free Iraq. Then the 
constitution will be submitted to the Iraqi people for approval, and new 
elections will be held to choose a fully constitutional government.
    These are monumental tasks for the new democracy of Iraq, and the 
free world will continue to stand behind the Iraqi people. This past 
week, more than 80 countries and international organizations came 
together in Brussels to discuss how to help Iraqis provide for their 
security and rebuild their country. And next month, donor countries will 
meet in Jordan to discuss Iraqi reconstruction.
    Our Nation's mission in Iraq is difficult, and we can expect more 
tough fighting in the weeks and months ahead. Yet I am confident in the 
outcome. The Iraqi people are growing in optimism and hope. They 
understand that the violence is only a part of the reality in Iraq. Each 
day, Iraqis are exercising new freedoms that they were denied for 
decades. Schools, hospitals, roads, and post offices are being built to 
serve the needs of all Iraqis. Increasing numbers of Iraqis are 
overcoming their fears and working actively to defeat the insurgents, 
and every Iraqi who chooses the side of freedom has chosen the winning 
side.
    Americans can be proud of all that we and our coalition partners 
have accomplished in Iraq. Our country has been tested before, and we 
have a long history of resolve and faith in the cause of freedom. Now we 
will see that cause to victory in Iraq. A democratic Iraq will be a 
powerful setback to the terrorists who seek to harm our Nation. A 
democratic Iraq will be a great triumph in the history of liberty, and a 
democratic Iraq will be a source of peace for our children and 
grandchildren.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 8:04 a.m. on June 24 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on June 25. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
June 24 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office of 
the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this 
address.

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