    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [July 14, 2007]
    [Pages 967-968]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    July 14, 2007

        Good morning. This week, my administration submitted to Congress an
    interim report on the situation in Iraq. This report provides an initial
    assessment of how the Iraqi Government is doing in meeting the 18
    benchmarks that Congress asked us to measure. This is a preliminary
    report. In September, General Petraeus and
    Ambassador Crocker will return to Washington
    to provide a more comprehensive assessment.
        The interim report released this week finds that the Iraqis have
    made satisfactory progress in eight areas, such as providing the three
    brigades they promised for the surge, establishing joint security
    stations in Baghdad neighborhoods, and providing $10 billion of their
    own money for reconstruction. In eight other areas, the progress was
    unsatisfactory, such as failing to prepare for local elections or pass a
    law to share oil revenues. In two remaining areas, the progress was too
    unclear to be characterized one way or the other.
        Those who believe that the battle in Iraq is lost are pointing to
    the unsatisfactory performance on some of the political benchmarks.
    Those of us who believe the battle in Iraq can and must be won see the
    satisfactory performance on several of the security benchmarks as a
    cause for optimism. Our strategy is built on the premise that progress
    on security will pave the way for political progress. This report shows
    that conditions can change, progress can be made, and the fight in Iraq
    can be won.
        The strategy we are now pursuing is markedly different from the one
    we were following last year. It became clear that our approach in Iraq
    was not working. So I consulted my national security team, the Joint
    Chiefs of Staff, and military commanders and diplomats on the ground. I
    brought in outside experts to hear their ideas. And after listening to
    this advice, in January, I announced a new way forward: sending
    reinforcements to help the Iraqis protect their people, improve their
    security forces, and advance the difficult process of

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    reconciliation at both the national and local levels.
        Our recent experience in Anbar Province shows what we hope to
    achieve throughout Iraq. As recently as last September, Anbar was held
    up as an example of America's failure in Iraq. Around the same time, the
    situation began to change. Sunni tribes that had been fighting alongside
    Al Qaida against our coalition came forward to fight alongside our
    coalition against Al Qaida. So I sent reinforcements to take advantage
    of this opportunity. And together we have driven Al Qaida from most of
    Anbar's capital city of Ramadi, and attacks there are now at a 2-year
    low.
        We are now carrying out operations to replicate the success in Anbar
    in other parts of the country, especially in the regions in and around
    Baghdad. We are starting to take the initiative away from Al Qaida and
    aiding the rise of an Iraqi Government that can protect its people,
    deliver basic services, and be an ally in the war against extremists and
    radicals. By doing this, we are creating the conditions that will allow
    our troops to begin coming home. When America starts drawing down our
    forces in Iraq, it will be because our military commanders say the
    conditions on the ground are right, not because pollsters say it would
    be good politics.
        Some people say the surge has been going for 6 months and that is
    long enough to conclude that it has failed. In fact, the final
    reinforcements arrived in Iraq just a month ago, and only then was
    General Petraeus able to launch the surge
    in full force. He and the troops who have begun these dangerous
    operations deserve the time and resources to carry them out.
        To begin to bring troops home before our commanders tell us we are
    ready would be dangerous for our country. It would mean surrendering the
    future of Iraq to Al Qaida, risking a humanitarian catastrophe, and
    allowing the terrorists to establish a safe haven in Iraq and gain
    control of vast oil resources they could use to fund new attacks on
    America. And it would increase the probability that American troops
    would have to return at some later date to confront an enemy that is
    even more dangerous.
        Most Americans want to see two things in Iraq: They want to see our
    troops succeed, and they want to see our troops begin to come home. We
    can do both, and we will. Our troops in Iraq are serving bravely.
    They're making great sacrifices. Changing the conditions in Iraq is
    difficult, and it can be done. The best way to start bringing these good
    men and women home is to make sure the surge succeeds.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 7:50 a.m. on July 13 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on July 14. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    July 13, but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his
    address, the President referred to Gen. David H. Petraeus, USA,
    commanding general, Multi-National Force--Iraq; and U.S. Ambassador to
    Iraq Ryan C. Crocker. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a
    Spanish language transcript of this address.