[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
[April 19, 2006]
[Pages 743-744]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Following a Meeting With Governors Who 
Traveled to Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan
April 19, 2006

    The President. I just had breakfast with four Governors who have 
returned from Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I invited Secretary 
Rice and Secretary Rumsfeld, as well as Steve Hadley and Josh Bolten, to breakfast 
so that we could hear from these Governors.
    First of all, I want to thank the four of them for traveling 
overseas. I particularly want to thank them for going to see our men and 
women who are helping secure freedom and peace. I thank them for sending 
a message from home that we care about them--that we care about our 
troops; that we'll support our troops; that we appreciate the fact that 
people are willing to make sacrifices.
    I assured them that our goal in Afghanistan and Iraq is victory. And 
victory will be achieved when there is a democracy in both countries 
that are able to sustain itself and defend itself.

[[Page 744]]

    Secretary Rice brought the Governors up 
to date about a conversation she had with Ambassador 
Khalilzad. We fully recognize that the 
Iraqis must step up and form a unity government so that those who went 
to the polls to vote recognize that a Government will be in place to 
respond to their needs. In other words, we also recognize that vacuums 
in the political process create opportunity for malfeasance and harm. 
And so we assured these Governors that we understand full well that the 
political process in Iraq must occur soon, and we're working toward that 
end.
    I again want to thank the Governors for coming. I thought--I asked 
them if they wouldn't mind saying a few words. We--I don't expect 
everybody to agree with my decision to go into Iraq, but I do want the 
people to understand--the American people to understand that failure in 
Iraq is not an option, that failure in Iraq would make the security 
situation for our country worse, and that success in Iraq will begin to 
lay the foundation of peace for generations to come.
    Governor Daniels.

[At this point, Gov. Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., of Indiana, Gov. Joe 
Manchin III of West Virginia, Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa, and Gov. Jeb 
Bush of Florida made brief remarks.]

    The President. Yes. Again, I want to thank the four Governors for 
coming. Thank you for your eloquent statements. I appreciate your 
service to our Nation. I assured the Governors that the United States 
will complete the mission; that we will honor those who've paid the 
ultimate price, by completing the mission; that we will help those who 
desire to live in freedom, and in so doing, we will lay the foundations 
of peace for a generation to come.
    I appreciate you all coming.

Note: The President spoke at 9:05 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White 
House. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also 
included the remarks of Governors Daniels, Manchin, Vilsack, and Bush.