    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
    [December 12, 2006]
    [Pages 2174-2175]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With Vice President Tariq al-
    Hashimi of Iraq
    December 12, 2006

        President Bush. It's been my honor to meet with the Vice President
    of Iraq again. I had the pleasure of meeting the Vice President in
    Baghdad. It was there that I invited him to come to Washington, DC, and
    I did so because I understand his importance to the future of Iraq.
        The Vice President has suffered unspeakable violence in his family.
    He's lost loved ones to violent action. And yet, in spite of his grief
    and in spite of pain in his heart, he was willing to work for a united
    Iraq and a peaceful Iraq, an Iraq that can govern itself and sustain
    itself and defend itself, a free Iraq that will be an ally in the war
    against extremists and radicals.
        And, Mr. Vice President, I respect your courage, and I respect your
    advice.
        I spent time with the Vice President today talking about the
    conditions in Iraq and what the United States can do to help this Iraqi
    Government succeed. He brought me up to date on the terrible violence
    that is taking place in some of the neighborhoods in Baghdad. He spoke
    eloquently about the suffering that innocent families have gone through.
    And my heart goes out to those, Mr. Vice President, who have suffered at
    the hands of extremists and killers.
        Our objective is to help the Iraqi Government deal with the
    extremists and killers and support the vast majority of Iraqis who are
    reasonable people who want peace.
        And so, Mr. Vice President, my message to you today, and to the
    Iraqi people is, we want to help you. We want to help your Government be
    effective. We want your help--your Government live up to its words and
    ideals. And I thank you for being a leader of one aspect of Iraqi
    society--you're the leader of many Sunnis, and you're committed to a
    government that is Shi'a, Sunni, Kurdish, and everybody else in your
    country, every other group in your country that will help us yield
    peace.
        And I welcome you; I thank you; and I praise your courage.
        Vice President Hashimi. I would like to express my sincere thanks to
    Mr. President for the invitation, first of all, and too when he
    expedites my visit to the States, which left a really positive message
    to the Iraqi people that the American administration, while they are
    revising their strategy, they are looking for a balance and fair
    analysis from diversified leaders in Iraq.
        So this visit coming after the visit of Mr. Hakim, I would like also
    to express my appreciation to the unique and unforgettable commitment of
    the President when he said, and continued saying, that we are committed
    to the success in Iraq. And I share his views and aspirations that there
    is no way but success in Iraq.
        We have no other option in Iraq but to achieve that success. And
    with the cooperation with our friends and Mr. President and the American
    administration, we will join forces to achieve that success in the
    foreseeable future.

    [[Page 2175]]

        There is a chance, and I can assure you there is a great and real
    chance to get out of this present dilemma. It is a hard time that the
    Iraqis face in time being, but there is a light in the corridor. There
    is a chance, but we need a good will and a strong determination, the
    same strong determination that the Mr. President has. There will be a
    chance for the country and for Iraq to succeed.
        During my discussion and dialog with the Mr. President, I had really
    a frank and positive dialog and conversation. We tackled key issues. And
    hopefully, at the end of the day, I would like to see my comments and
    observations welcomed, because at the end of the day, what I say to Mr.
    President is achieving--or could be seen as a genuine and--[inaudible]--
    part in the way of achieving the success.
        I thank Mr. President again for the time given to myself and to my
    colleagues. And I leave United States with a great hope that we do have
    friends in Washington; that they are very much interested, in fact, to
    help us in these very difficult times, and to achieve the unforgettable,
    the long-waited success. Whatever the sacrifices, my family and the
    country, at the end of the day, we have no other option but to maintain
    this momentum and to struggle until we meet that success, inshallah.
        President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:51 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. Vice President Hashimi referred to Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, chairman,
    Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq.