    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
    [June 17, 2006]
    [Pages 1162-1164]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    June 17, 2006

        Good morning. Earlier this week, I traveled to Baghdad to visit the
    capital of a free and democratic Iraq. It was an incredible feeling to
    stand in the cockpit of Air Force One and watch the pilot steer us in
    toward Baghdad.
        After we landed, I had the pleasure of meeting with our dedicated
    Embassy staff and intelligence officers serving far from home under
    dangerous circumstances. And I was honored to meet with some of our
    troops, including those responsible for bringing justice to the
    terrorist Zarqawi. It was a privilege to shake their hands, look them in
    the eye, and tell them how much the American people appreciate their
    daily courage and how much we appreciate the sacrifices that they and
    their families are making.
        On my trip, I also met with the new Iraqi Prime Minister
    Maliki, and I was able to see firsthand his
    strong character and

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    his determination to succeed. We held a joint meeting of our two
    Cabinets, with members of my Cabinet participating by video
    teleconference from Camp David. The Prime Minister briefed us on his
    plan to take immediate steps in three key areas: improving security;
    building up Iraq's economy so Iraqis can see real progress in their
    lives; and reaching out to the international community to secure support
    for Iraq's new Government. Then we discussed how my administration can
    help the Prime Minister accomplish these vital objectives.
        His top priority is securing Baghdad, so coalition and Iraqi forces
    have launched Operation Together Forward, a joint effort to restore
    security and the rule of law to high-risk areas of the city. To help the
    Prime Minister improve security, we will
    continue embedding coalition transition teams in Iraqi Army and police
    units, and we will help the new Iraqi Ministers of Defense and Interior
    improve their command and control, root out corruption, and investigate
    and punish human rights violations. We will also support the Prime
    Minister as he works to rein in illegal militias, build a judicial
    system that will provide equal justice to all, and promote
    reconciliation among the Iraqi people.
        To aid the Prime Minister in
    revitalizing Iraq's economy, we will send additional experts to help the
    Iraqi Government develop an economic framework that will promote job
    creation and opportunity for all Iraqis. We will also help the Prime
    Minister increase oil and electricity production by working together on
    ways to protect key infrastructure from attacks and to quickly restore
    oil and electricity production when attacks do occur.
        Finally, America will help the Prime Minister engage the international community in Iraq's success. We
    will encourage other nations to fulfill the monetary pledges they have
    already made to help the new Iraqi Government succeed. We will also
    support the Prime Minister's efforts to forge a new international
    compact. Under this compact, Iraq will take a series of steps in the
    political, economic, and security areas, and in return, the
    international community will provide Iraq with more robust political and
    economic support.
        During my trip, I was impressed with the Prime Minister, the team he has assembled, and the plan he has set
    for his Government. I appreciate his determination and the determination
    of his Cabinet to make his agenda work. I told them that the future of
    Iraq is in their hands. And I told them that America is a nation that
    keeps its word, and America will stand with them as we work toward our
    shared goal: a free Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself, and
    defend itself. By seizing this moment of opportunity, we will defeat our
    common enemies and build a lasting democracy in the heart of the Middle
    East, and that will make Americans, Iraqis, and the world more secure.
        I traveled to Baghdad to personally show our Nation's commitment to
    a free Iraq, because it is vital for the Iraqi people to know with
    certainty that America will not abandon them after we have come this
    far. The challenges that remain in Iraq are serious. We face determined
    enemies who remain intent on killing the innocent, and defeating these
    enemies will require more sacrifice and the continued patience of our
    country. But our efforts in Iraq are well worth it. The mission is
    necessary for the security of our country, and we will succeed.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 7:10 a.m. on June 16 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on June 17. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    June 16 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his
    address, the President referred to senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab
    Al Zarqawi, who was killed in Baquba, Iraq, on June 7; and Prime
    Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Minister of Defense Abd al-Qadir al-Mufriji,

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    and Minister of the Interior Jawad al-Bulani of Iraq. The Office of the
    Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this
    address.