[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 3 (Monday, January 23, 2006)]
[Page 79]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With Iraqi Citizens

January 18, 2006

    Listen, thank you all for coming. It's been my honor to visit with 
folks who know firsthand the brutality of Saddam Hussein. These are 
folks who have suffered one way or the other because the tyrant was a 
law unto himself and was willing to deny people basic human rights. The 
stories here are compelling stories. They're stories of sadness and 
stories of bravery.
    In the course of our discussion, we were also able to talk about 
what a contrast it is between a society which was willing to jail 
people, torture people, and beat people and kill people, to a society 
that is beginning to understand the fruits of democracy and freedom.
    Last year was an amazing year in Iraq. Millions of people went to 
the polls to vote, first in January, then to ratify a Constitution, and 
then back to the polls again to elect a Government under the new 
Constitution. It's a testimony to the courage of the Iraqi people. 
Obviously, we still have got work to do and fully intend to do it.
    And one of the interesting moments will come here this year when 
Saddam Hussein's trial is brought forth for the world to see, to see the 
butcherer, the person who brutalized many people or ordered the 
brutality of many people here at this table, get his due justice under 
rule of law.
    And so I want to thank you all for coming. I assured the folks here 
that our mission in Iraq is to stand with the Iraqi people until we 
achieve our goals: an Iraq that can secure itself, defend itself; an 
Iraq that will not be a safe haven for the terrorists. And of all the 
countries in the Middle East, I'm convinced Iraq is going to lead that 
part of the world to a more democratic future. The Iraqi people are 
brave and courageous and smart people.
    And so thank you for being here. Thank you for sharing your stories. 
I appreciate it very much.

Note: The President spoke at 11:50 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to former President Saddam 
Hussein of Iraq. A tape was not available for verification of the 
content of these remarks.