[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 43 (Monday, October 31, 2005)]
[Pages 1591-1592]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following Discussions With President Massoud Barzani of the 
Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government

October 25, 2005

    President Bush. It's my honor to welcome President Barzani of the 
Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq to the Oval Office. He's a man of 
courage. He's a man who has stood up to a tyrant.
    He wore this outfit because it wasn't all that long ago, if he had 
worn this outfit and was captured by Saddam Hussein's thugs, he would 
have been killed for wearing it. He feels comfortable wearing it here 
because we're a free land, and he feels comfortable wearing it in his 
home country because Iraq is free.
    We had a very good discussion. The President was very helpful on the 
current constitution. I assured him that America will stand with the 
people that desire a free and democratic Iraq. The President is--has got 
a clear vision of the future of Iraq, one where different religions and 
different backgrounds--people of different religions and backgrounds can 
live together in peace.
    And so, Mr. President, welcome. It's an honor to have you here.
    President Barzani. Mr. President, allow me on behalf of the people 
of Kurdistan and myself to thank you very much. We in Kurdistan, 
particularly, and also in Iraq, generally, we highly value the courage 
and bravery of your leadership. I hope that everybody would realize what 
the fact on the ground is about Iraq. It was a brave decision that you 
have made. You have liberated a people from a dictatorial regime that 
has hurt a lot of the people.
    At this time we express our condolences, and we express our sympathy 
to the families of your brave men and women in uniform, those who have 
sacrificed their lives in order to make other people free and liberated. 
There is no doubt that if we step back from this and not be determined, 
be rest assured that the terrorists will come to the gates of you and 
us, and they will fight us. Therefore, we have to think about nothing 
else but victory. And I'm quite confident that with your leadership, 
with your support and support of

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the United States military and United States people and also the--heroes 
of the people of Iraq, in general, the people of Kurdistan, we will 
achieve success at the end.
    For those who are antidemocratic and also those who are against the 
process, they are very limited, and those who are supportive of your 
leadership, supportive of democratic process, they are many, and they 
highly appreciate the sacrifices that have been made by the American 
people and the American army. There are also many in Iraq, in general, 
and also in Kurdistan, all of them are appreciative.
    Thank you.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir. Thanks for coming.

Note: The President spoke at 2:46 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. President Barzani spoke in Kurdish, and his remarks were 
translated by an interpreter. A tape was not available for verification 
of the content of these remarks.