    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [October 1, 2005]
    [Pages 1501-1502]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    October 1, 2005

        Good morning. This week I met with the generals who are overseeing
    our efforts in Iraq--Generals Abizaid
    and Casey--to discuss our strategy for
    victory. They updated me on the operations in Baghdad last weekend, in
    which Iraqi and coalition forces tracked down and killed the second most
    wanted Al Qaida leader in Iraq. This brutal killer
    was a top lieutenant of the terrorist Zarqawi. He was also one of the terrorists responsible for the
    recent wave of attacks in the Iraqi capital, which is part of the
    terrorist campaign to halt political progress in Iraq, by stopping this
    month's referendum on the Iraqi constitution.
        Our strategy in Iraq is clear: We're hunting down deadly terrorist
    leaders. We're conducting aggressive counterterrorism operations in the
    areas where the terrorists are concentrated. We are constantly adapting
    our tactics to the changing tactics of the terrorists, and we're
    training more Iraqi forces to assume increasing responsibility for their
    country's security.
        The growing size and increasing capability of the Iraqi security
    forces are helping our coalition address a challenge we have faced since
    the beginning of the war. It used to be that after we cleared the
    terrorists out of a city, there were not enough qualified Iraqi troops
    to maintain control. So if we left to conduct missions in other areas of
    Iraq, the terrorists would try to move back in. Now the increasing
    number of more capable Iraqi troops has allowed us to keep a better hold
    on the cities we have taken from the terrorists. The Iraqi troops know
    their people and their language, and they know who the terrorists are.
    By leaving Iraqi units in the cities we have cleared out, we can keep
    those cities safe, while moving on to hunt down the terrorists in other
    parts of the country.
        We used this approach recently in Iraq's northwest region, where
    Iraqi and coalition forces targeted an area that was one of the main
    routes for foreign terrorists entering Iraq from Syria. During
    operations in the key town of Tall `Afar, Iraqi security forces
    outnumbered coalition forces for the first time in a major offensive
    operation. Because of our joint efforts, hundreds of insurgents and
    terrorists have been killed or captured or flushed out, and our
    continued efforts will make it more difficult for foreign terrorists to
    enter Iraq.

        As part of our strategy, Iraqi forces have stayed behind in Tall
    `Afar to ensure that the terrorists cannot return and regroup. And
    coalition and Iraqi troops are pursuing the terrorists in western Iraq,
    working to deny Al Qaida a safe haven there and to stop terrorists from
    crossing into the country through Syria.

        I'm encouraged by the increasing size and capability of the Iraqi
    security forces. Today, they have more than 100 battalions operating
    throughout the country, and our commanders report that the Iraqi forces
    are serving with increasing effectiveness. In fact, this week coalition
    forces were able to turn over security responsibility for one of Iraq's
    largest cities, Karbala, to Iraqi soldiers. As Iraqi forces show they're
    capable of fighting the terrorists, they are earning

    [[Page 1502]]

    the trust and confidence of the Iraqi people, which will ensure the
    success of a free and democratic Iraq.
        More difficult and dangerous work still lies ahead. The terrorists
    have a history of escalating their attacks before Iraq's major political
    milestones, and two elections are fast approaching. In 2 weeks, Iraqis
    will vote on a democratic constitution, and if that constitution is
    approved, they will return to the polls later this year to elect a fully
    constitutional government.
        As Iraqis take these next steps on the path to freedom and
    democracy, the terrorists will do everything they can to stop this
    progress and try to break our will. They will fail. Defeating the
    terrorists in Iraq will require more time and more sacrifice. Yet all
    Americans can have confidence in the military commanders who are leading
    the effort in Iraq and in the troops under their command. They have made
    important gains in recent weeks and months. They are adapting our
    strategy to meet the needs on the ground, and they're helping us to
    bring victory in the war on terror.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. from the Oval Office at the
    White House. In his remarks, he referred to Gen. John P. Abizaid, USA,
    commander, U.S. Central Command; Gen. George W. Casey, Jr., USA,
    commanding general, Multi-National Force--Iraq; and senior Al Qaida
    associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi. The Office of the Press Secretary also
    released a Spanish language transcript of this address.