    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 16 (Monday, April 24, 2006)]
    [Page 733]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks Following a Meeting With Governors Who Traveled to Kuwait, Iraq,
    and Afghanistan

    April 19, 2006

        The President. I just had breakfast with four Governors who have
    returned from Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I invited Secretary Rice
    and Secretary Rumsfeld, as well as Steve Hadley and Josh Bolten, to
    breakfast so that we could hear from these Governors.
        First of all, I want to thank the four of them for traveling
    overseas. I particularly want to thank them for going to see our men and
    women who are helping secure freedom and peace. I thank them for sending
    a message from home that we care about them--that we care about our
    troops; that we'll support our troops; that we appreciate the fact that
    people are willing to make sacrifices.
        I assured them that our goal in Afghanistan and Iraq is victory. And
    victory will be achieved when there is a democracy in both countries
    that are able to sustain itself and defend itself.
        Secretary Rice brought the Governors up to date about a conversation
    she had with Ambassador Khalilzad. We fully recognize that the Iraqis
    must step up and form a unity government so that those who went to the
    polls to vote recognize that a Government will be in place to respond to
    their needs. In other words, we also recognize that vacuums in the
    political process create opportunity for malfeasance and harm. And so we
    assured these Governors that we understand full well that the political
    process in Iraq must occur soon, and we're working toward that end.
        I again want to thank the Governors for coming. I thought--I asked
    them if they wouldn't mind saying a few words. We--I don't expect
    everybody to agree with my decision to go into Iraq, but I do want the
    people to understand--the American people to understand that failure in
    Iraq is not an option, that failure in Iraq would make the security
    situation for our country worse, and that success in Iraq will begin to
    lay the foundation of peace for generations to come.
        Governor Daniels.

    [At this point, Gov. Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., of Indiana, Gov. Joe
    Manchin III of West Virginia, Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa, and Gov. Jeb
    Bush of Florida made brief remarks.]

        The President. Yes. Again, I want to thank the four Governors for
    coming. Thank you for your eloquent statements. I appreciate your
    service to our Nation. I assured the Governors that the United States
    will complete the mission; that we will honor those who've paid the
    ultimate price, by completing the mission; that we will help those who
    desire to live in freedom, and in so doing, we will lay the foundations
    of peace for a generation to come.
        I appreciate you all coming.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:05 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also
    included the remarks of Governors Daniels, Manchin, Vilsack, and Bush.