[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 13 (Monday, April 3, 2006)]
[Pages 578-579]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Cabinet Meeting

March 28, 2006

    Good morning. We've just finished our third Cabinet meeting of this 
year. I want to thank my Cabinet members for joining us. We talked about 
the war on terror. We talked about a war on terror that requires all of 
us involved in Government to respond and to protect America and help 
spread freedom.
    My Cabinet officials obviously have got many responsibilities in 
their agencies, but we talked about their need to assume additional 
responsibilities to make sure that we're using every element of national 
power to win the war on terror and to secure the peace.
    This morning we had briefings from General Abizaid, Ambassador 
Khalilzad, and

[[Page 579]]

General Casey. We heard from the Ambassador about work toward a unity 
government. I'm pleased to hear from Zal that the Iraqis are now back at 
the table discussing the formation of a government, the process by which 
they will conduct a government once a unity government is formed, as 
well as, obviously, beginning to continue to--or continuing to discuss 
who will fill the key slots in the government.
    We also heard from General Abizaid as well as General Casey who 
reported on the ongoing efforts to win this war on terror, to defeat the 
enemy all around General Abizaid's theater of responsibility, as well as 
defeat the enemy in the central front in the war on terror, which is 
Iraq.
    I appreciate very much General Pace joining us today as well. These 
leaders, folks on the ground who know the condition on the ground, 
recognize this is hard work, but they also report on steady progress 
that we're making toward meeting our important goals--important goal is 
to make sure Iraq is a democracy that can sustain herself, defend 
herself, and is not a safe haven for the terrorists.
    Tomorrow I'm going to deliver a third in a series of speeches about 
the situation in Iraq. During Saddam Hussein's brutal rule, he exploited 
the ethnic and religious diversity of Iraq by setting communities 
against one another. And now the terrorists and former regime elements 
are doing the same; they're trying to set off a civil war through acts 
of sectarian violence. But the United States and our Iraqi forces cannot 
be defeated militarily. The only thing the Iraqi insurgents, as well as 
the terrorists, can possibly do is to cause us to lose our nerve and 
retreat, to withdraw.
    I'm going to discuss how the Iraqi people and our coalition continue 
to work together to build a stable and free and prosperous Iraq. I'll 
remind the people we're not going to lose our nerve. The stakes are 
high; we will complete this mission. Our strategy for rebuilding Iraq is 
comprehensive, and it includes a commitment from all parts of the 
Federal Government.
    Secretary Rice encouraged our Cabinet members to build relationships 
with their counterparts in Iraq once the new Iraqi Government is formed. 
And I expect them to follow through on that--on their commitments. See, 
by making a broad commitment from the Federal Government, we'll help the 
Iraqis establish a democracy, we'll help them build the institutions 
necessary for a stable society, and we'll help defeat the terrorists.
    Today was the--today two members of my Cabinet--we had the honor--a 
chance to honor two members of my Cabinet who won't be with us much 
longer: Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and Chief of Staff Andy 
Card. These two folks have served our country with distinction and 
honor. I am proud to work side by side with them, and I'm proud to call 
them friend. Thank you all very much.

Note: The President spoke at 10:20 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Gen. John P. Abizaid, USA, 
combatant commander, U.S. Central Command; Gen. George W. Casey, Jr., 
USA, commanding general, Multi-National Force--Iraq; Gen. Peter Pace, 
USMC, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; and former President Saddam 
Hussein of Iraq. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a 
Spanish language transcript of these remarks.