[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 12 (Monday, March 28, 2005)]
[Pages 483-484]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

March 19, 2005

    Good morning. On this day 2 years ago, we launched Operation Iraqi 
Freedom to disarm a brutal regime, free its people, and defend the world 
from a grave danger.
    Before coalition forces arrived, Iraq was ruled by a dictatorship 
that murdered its own citizens, threatened its neighbors, and defied the 
world. We knew of Saddam Hussein's record of aggression and support for 
terror. We knew of his long history of pursuing, even using, weapons of 
mass destruction, and we know that September the 11th requires our 
country to think differently. We must and we will confront threats to 
America before they fully materialize.
    Now, because we acted, Iraq's Government is no longer a threat to 
the world or its own people. Today, the Iraqi people are taking charge 
of their own destiny. In January, over 8 million Iraqis defied the car 
bombers and assassins to vote in free elections. This week, Iraq's 
Transitional National Assembly convened for the first time. These 
elected leaders broadly represent Iraq's people and include more than 85 
women. They will now draft a new constitution for a free and democratic 
Iraq. In October, that document will be presented to the Iraqi people in 
a national referendum. Another election is planned for December to 
choose a permanent constitutional government.
    Free governments reflect the culture of the citizens they serve, and 
that is happening in Iraq. Today, Iraqis can take pride in building a 
government that answers to its people and honors their country's unique 
heritage. Millions of Americans saw that pride in an Iraqi woman named 
Safia Taleb al-Suhail, who sat in the gallery during the State of the 
Union Address. Eleven years ago, Saddam Hussein's thugs murdered her 
father. Today, Safia's nation is free, and Saddam Hussein sits in a 
prison cell. Safia expressed the gratitude of the Iraqi nation when she 
embraced the mom of Marine Corps Sergeant Byron Norwood, who was killed 
in the assault on Fallujah.
    To all the brave members of our Armed Forces who have taken part in 
this historic mission and to your families, I express the heartfelt 
thanks of the American people. I know that nothing can end the pain of 
the families who have lost loved ones in this struggle, but they can 
know that their sacrifice has added to America's security and the 
freedom of the world.
    Iraq's progress toward political freedom has opened a new phase of 
our work there. We are focusing on our efforts on training the Iraqi 
security forces. As they become more self-reliant and take on greater 
security responsibilities, America and its coalition partners will 
increasingly assume a supporting role. In the end, Iraqis must be able 
to defend their own country. And we will help that proud, new nation 
secure its liberty, and then our troops will return home with the honor 
they have earned.
    Today, we're seeing hopeful signs across the broader Middle East. 
The victory of freedom in Iraq is strengthening a new ally in the war on 
terror and inspiring democratic reformers from Beirut to Tehran. Today, 
women can vote in Afghanistan. Palestinians are breaking the old 
patterns of violence, and hundreds of thousands of Lebanese are rising 
up to demand their sovereignty and democratic rights. These are landmark 
events in the history of freedom. Only the fire of liberty can purge the 
ideologies of murder by offering hope to those who yearn to live free.
    The experience of recent years has taught us an important lesson: 
The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success 
of liberty in other lands. Because of our actions, freedom is taking 
root in Iraq, and the American people are more secure.
    Thank you for listening.

[[Page 484]]

Note: The address was recorded at 3:52 p.m. on March 18 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on March 19. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
March 19 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his 
remarks, the President referred to Janet Norwood, mother of Sgt. Byron 
Norwood, USMC. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of this address.