[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book II)]
[December 2, 2006]
[Pages 2145-2146]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
December 2, 2006

    Good morning. I returned home this week from a visit to the Middle 
East. On my trip, I met with Prime Minister Maliki of Iraq to discuss how we can improve the situation on the 
ground in his country and help the Iraqis build a lasting democracy.
    My meeting with Prime Minister Maliki 
was our third since he took office 6 months ago. With each meeting, I'm 
coming to know him better, and I'm becoming more impressed by his desire 
to make the difficult choices that will put his country on a better 
path. During our meeting, I told the Prime Minister that America is 
ready to make changes to better support the unity Government of Iraq and 
that several key principles will guide our efforts.
    First, the success of Prime Minister Maliki's Government is critical to success in Iraq. His unity 
Government was chosen through free elections in which nearly 12 million 
Iraqis cast their ballots in support of democracy. Our goal in Iraq is 
to strengthen his democratic Government and help Iraq's leaders build a 
free nation that can govern itself, sustain itself, and defend itself 
and is an ally in the war on terror.
    Second, the success of the Iraqi Government depends on the success 
of the Iraqi security forces. The training of Iraqi security forces has 
been steady, yet we both agreed that we need to do more, and we need to 
do it faster. The Prime Minister wants to 
show the people who elected him that he's willing to make the hard 
decisions necessary to provide security.
    To do that, he needs larger and more capable Iraqi forces under his 
control, and he needs them quickly. By helping Iraq's elected leaders 
get the Iraqi forces they need, we will help Iraq's democratic 
Government become more effective in fighting the terrorists and other 
violent extremists, and in providing security and stability, 
particularly in Baghdad.
    Third, success in Iraq requires strong institutions that will stand 
the test of time and hardship. Our goal in Iraq is to help Prime 
Minister Maliki build a country that is 
united, where the rule of law prevails and the rights of minorities are 
respected. The Prime Minister made clear that splitting his country into 
parts is not what the Iraqi people want and that any partition of Iraq 
would lead to an increase in sectarian violence.
    Security in Iraq requires sustained action by the Iraqi security 
forces, yet in the long term, security in Iraq hinges on reconciliation 
among Iraq's different ethnic and religious communities. And the Prime 
Minister has committed his Government to 
achieving that goal.

[[Page 2146]]

    The Prime Minister and I also discussed 
the review of America's strategy in Iraq that is now nearing completion. 
As part of this review, I've asked our military leaders in the Pentagon 
and those on the ground in Iraq to provide their recommendations on the 
best way forward.
    A bipartisan panel, led by former Secretary of State James 
Baker and former Congressman Lee 
Hamilton, is also conducting a review. And I 
look forward to receiving their report next week. I want to hear all 
advice before I make any decisions about adjustments to our strategy in 
Iraq.
    I recognize that the recent violence in Iraq has been unsettling. 
Many people in our country are wondering about the way forward. The work 
ahead will not be easy, yet by helping Prime Minister Maliki strengthen Iraq's democratic institutions and 
promote national reconciliation, our military leaders and diplomats can 
help put Iraq on a solid path to liberty and democracy. The decisions we 
make in Iraq will be felt across the broader Middle East.
    Failure in Iraq would embolden the extremists who hate America and 
want nothing more than to see our demise. It would strengthen the hand 
of those who are seeking to undermine young democracies across the 
region and give the extremists an open field to overthrow moderate 
governments, take control of countries, impose their rule on millions, 
and threaten the American people. Our Nation must not allow this to 
happen.
    Success in Iraq will require leaders in Washington--Republicans and 
Democrats alike--to come together and find greater consensus on the best 
path forward. So I will work with leaders in both parties to achieve 
this goal. Together we can help Iraqis build a free and democratic 
nation in the heart of the Middle East, strengthen moderates and 
reformers across the region who are working for peace, and leave our 
children and grandchildren a more secure and hopeful world.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at approximately 7:50 a.m. on December 1 
in the Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on 
December 2. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on December 1 but was embargoed for release until the 
broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of this address.