    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [September 17, 2007]
    [Page 1205]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Teleconference Remarks With Provincial Reconstruction Team Leaders and
    Brigade Combat Commanders in Iraq
    September 17, 2007

        Secretary Rice and Secretary
    Gates, General Pace,
    members of my national security team have just listened to some
    briefings from Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Iraq. I want to thank
    our fellow citizens for serving on the frontline of--in this war against
    extremists and radicals. I appreciate their dedication, and I appreciate
    the sacrifice of their families.
        General Odierno just briefed us on an
    interesting statistic. He said that for the week of September 8-15,
    attack levels across Iraq are the lowest they have been since January of
    2006, which, of course, is a time prior to the Samarra bombing. And when
    you couple that with the grassroots efforts that our PRT--Provincial
    Reconstruction Teams are making, you begin to get a sense of why I'm
    confident that we can succeed in Iraq, why I believe that the efforts
    that we're making toward making sure that an extremists like Al Qaida
    doesn't have safe haven from which to plot attacks and, at the same
    time, helping people realize the blessings of liberty, which will yield
    long-term peace, can happen, can succeed.
        And so I told the folks there that, on behalf of a grateful nation,
    that we thank them for what they're doing. And I look forward to further
    discussions with those who actually see the progress that is taking
    place, with those who are living amongst the people and can report
    firsthand that the success that was reported on by General
    Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker now happens on a--is happening on a daily basis.
        Now, there's no question, we got more work to be done. But the
    question I always ask myself is, is the mission important to the
    security of the United States? And the answer is, absolutely. And can we
    be successful? And the answer to that is, yes, we can.
        And I want to thank you all very much for seeing to it that we will
    be successful. Thank you for your time, and we ask for God's blessings
    on you.
        Thank you.

    Note: The teleconference began at 10:10 a.m. The President spoke in the
    Roosevelt Room at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Lt.
    Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, USA, commanding general, Multi-National Corps--
    Iraq; and Gen. David H. Petraeus, USA, commanding general, Multi-
    National Force--Iraq.