[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
[January 18, 2006]
[Pages 80-81]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Following a Meeting With Iraqi Citizens
January 18, 2006

    Listen, thank you all for coming. It's been my honor to visit with 
folks who know firsthand the brutality of Saddam Hussein. These are folks who have suffered one way or the other 
because the tyrant was a law unto himself and was willing to deny people 
basic human rights. The stories here are compelling stories. They're 
stories of sadness and stories of bravery.
    In the course of our discussion, we were also able to talk about 
what a contrast it is between a society which was willing to jail 
people, torture people, and beat people and kill people, to a society 
that is beginning to understand the fruits of democracy and freedom.
    Last year was an amazing year in Iraq. Millions of people went to 
the polls to vote, first in January, then to ratify a Constitution, and 
then back to the polls again to elect a Government under the new 
Constitution. It's a testimony to the courage of the Iraqi people. 
Obviously, we still have got work to do and fully intend to do it.
    And one of the interesting moments will come here this year when 
Saddam Hussein's trial is brought forth for 
the world to see, to see the butcherer, the person who brutalized many 
people or ordered the brutality of many people here at this table, get 
his due justice under rule of law.
    And so I want to thank you all for coming. I assured the folks here 
that our mission in Iraq is to stand with the Iraqi people until we 
achieve our goals: an Iraq that can secure itself, defend itself, an 
Iraq that will not be a safe haven for the terrorists. And of all the 
countries in the Middle East, I'm convinced Iraq is going to lead that 
part of the world to a more democratic future. The Iraqi people are 
brave and courageous and smart people.
    And so thank you for being here. Thank you for sharing your stories. 
I appreciate it very much.

Note: The President spoke at 11:50 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. In

[[Page 81]]

his remarks, he referred to former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. A 
tape was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.