[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
[May 4, 2006]
[Pages 862-865]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks at the American Jewish Committee's Centennial Dinner
May 4, 2006
[The President's remarks are joined in progress.]
----I want to thank the Members of Congress who are here. I
appreciate the members of the diplomatic corps who have joined us today.
I want to pay a special tribute to a friend of mine from Texas who has
done a superb job as the Chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Council, and that's Fred Zeidman.
My administration shares a strong commitment with the AJC to make
sure relations between Israel and America remain strong. We have so much
in common.
[[Page 863]]
We're both young countries born of struggle and sacrifice. We're both
founded by immigrants escaping religious persecution. We have both
established vibrant democracies built on the rule of law and open
markets. We're both founded on certain basic beliefs: that God watches
over the affairs of men and that freedom is the Almighty God's gift to
every man and woman on the face of this Earth. These ties have made us
natural allies, and these ties will never be broken. America's
commitment to Israel's security is strong, enduring, and unshakable.
I'm looking forward to my meeting with Prime Minister Olmert in a couple of weeks. And as he comes to America, I
cannot help but think about my friend Ariel Sharon. Ariel Sharon is a friend who remains in our thoughts
and prayers. He is a man of courage and a man of peace. And so tonight
we pray for his recovery; we rededicate ourselves to the cause to which
he devoted his life, the peace and the security of Israel.
As you know, I'm a strong believer in democracy and free elections,
but that does not mean we have to support elected officials who are not
committed to peace. Hamas has made it clear that they do not acknowledge
the right of Israel to exist, and I've made it clear that so long as
that's their policy, we will have no contact with the leaders of Hamas.
Democratically--leaders cannot have one foot in the camp of democracy
and one foot in the camp of terror. Hamas must accept the demands of the
international community to recognize Israel, disarm and reject
terrorism, and stop blocking the path to peace.
Many of the AJC leaders who have come to know me understand how my
thinking was profoundly affected by the attacks on our country on
September the 11th, 2001. The security of our Nation is foremost in my
mind. I vowed that day and I vow to you today that the United States of
America will stay on the hunt and bring the killers to justice.
And one of the lessons of September the 11th is that this Nation
must take threats seriously before they fully materialize. And I saw a
threat in Saddam Hussein. He had invaded a
neighbor; he had used weapons of mass destruction against his own
people; he had the capability of making weapons of mass destruction; he
harbored terrorists; he was shooting at U.S. aircraft. He was a threat,
and the world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power.
Our goal in Iraq is to have an ally in the war on terror and to help
that young country establish an Iraqi-style democracy. Last December, 12
million people defied the car bombers and the killers and the terrorists
and said that ``We want to live in liberty.'' Recently a unity
government has formed in Iraq. They reached an agreement on their top
leadership posts. This new Government represents a turning point in
Iraq, a new chapter in our engagement there, and an opportunity for
progress. We will form a new partnership with these leaders. We will
adjust our methods to support their priorities. We will strengthen our
mutual efforts to achieve victory.
But I want you to understand that the new Government is yet another
blow to those who hate liberty. First, it will deny the terrorists their
immediate aim of turning Iraq into a safe haven from which they can plot
and plan attacks against the United States and our allies. And secondly,
a democratic Iraq will be a major blow to the terrorists' hateful
ideology, sending a powerful message across the region that the future
of the Middle East belongs to freedom. The only way we can lose in Iraq
is if we lose our nerve, and I am not going to lose my nerve.
The AJC, the American Government, and most of the nations of the
world are concerned about Iran. We're concerned because the Iranian
regime is repressing its people, sponsoring terrorists, destabilizing
the region, threatening Israel, and defying the world with its ambitions
for nuclear
[[Page 864]]
weapons. America will continue to rally the world to confront these
threats.
We're making progress. The first goal is to reach a common
objective, and the objective amongst America, our European allies,
Russia, and China is to deny Iran a nuclear weapon. I spent time with
Chancellor Merkel yesterday talking about this
important issue. I can assure you we have a strong ally in Chancellor
Merkel when it comes to uniting the world to speak with one clear voice.
We will continue to press the Iranian Government to comply with IAEA
as well as U.N. Security Council resolutions. America respects and
admires the people of Iran. We respect their history and culture. We
respect their right to choose their own future and win their own
freedom. And America looks forward to the day when our Nation can be
closest of friends with a free and democratic Iran.
Before I introduce the Chancellor, I do
want to talk about another subject that I know is important to you, and
it's important to me, and that's Darfur. Last weekend, thousands rallied
on our National Mall to call for justice in Darfur. And among the
speakers was a man who understands the meaning of evil. You know him
well. Elie Wiesel put it this way: ``We refuse
to be silent because silent helps the killer, never his victims.''
America is not silent. The United States is the only country to have
called the crimes taking place in Sudan what they are--genocide. To end
these atrocities, we've developed a clear standard. First, there must be
a political course. Right now as we speak, we're negotiating to bring a
political settlement so that all sides will lay down their arms, a
settlement between the Government and the rebels. These conversations
are taking place in Abuja.
But, as well, we must understand that the rape and the murder and
the suffering must be stopped. And that's why I believe strongly that we
must augment AU forces with a blue-helmeted U.N. force, with a NATO
overlay, so that we can send a clear message to the leaders of Sudan: We
will not tolerate the genocide taking place in that country.
My remaining time in office, I look forward to working with AJC
leaders. I appreciate your steadfast strength when it comes to dealing
with terror. I appreciate your strong belief in the power of liberty to
transform the world we have. I look forward to working with you to
continue to lay the foundations of peace so that generations after our
time will look at all of us and say, job well done.
And now it's my pleasure to introduce a leader who understands the
importance of freedom. Angela Merkel grew up
in East Germany during the dark days of the cold war. She understands
what it means to live in a free society. She understands the power of
liberty. She's a straightforward person; she tells me what's on her
mind. She's a woman of good judgment. She's a strong leader. It's my
privilege to welcome her here and to our friends at the AJC.
Note: The President spoke at 6:57 p.m. at the National Building Museum.
In his remarks, he referred to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel; former President Saddam Hussein
of Iraq; Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany; and Nobel prize winner and
author Elie Wiesel.
[[Page 865]]