[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 18 (Monday, May 8, 2006)]
[Pages 855-857]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at the American Jewish Committee's Centennial Dinner

May 4, 2006

[The President's remarks are joined in progress.]

    The President. ----I want to thank the Members of Congress who are 
here. I appreciate the members of the diplomatic corps who have joined 
us today. I want to pay a special tribute to a friend of mine from Texas 
who has done a superb job as the Chairman of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial 
Council, and that's Fred Zeidman.
    My administration shares a strong commitment with the AJC to make 
sure relations between Israel and America remain strong. We have so much 
in common. We're both young countries born of struggle and sacrifice. 
We're both founded by immigrants escaping religious persecution. We have 
both established vibrant democracies built on the rule of law and open 
markets. We're both founded on certain basic beliefs, that God watches 
over the affairs of men and that freedom is the Almighty God's gift to 
every man and woman on the face of this Earth. These ties have made us 
natural allies, and these ties will never be broken. America's 
commitment to Israel's security is strong, enduring, and unshakable.
    I'm looking forward to my meeting with Prime Minister Olmert in a 
couple of weeks. And as he comes to America, I cannot help but think 
about my friend Ariel Sharon. Ariel Sharon is a friend who remains in 
our thoughts and prayers. He is a man of courage and a man of peace. And 
so tonight we pray for his recovery; we rededicate ourselves to the 
cause to which he devoted his life, the peace and the security of 
Israel.
    As you know, I'm a strong believer in democracy and free elections, 
but that does not mean we have to support elected officials who are not 
committed to peace. Hamas has made it clear that they do not acknowledge 
the right of Israel to exist, and I've made it clear that so long as 
that's their policy, we will have no contact with the leaders of Hamas. 
Democratically--leaders cannot have one foot in the camp of democracy 
and one foot in the camp of terror. Hamas must accept the demands of the 
international community to recognize Israel, disarm and reject 
terrorism, and stop blocking the path to peace.
    Many of the AJC leaders who have come to know me, understand how my 
thinking was profoundly affected by the attacks on our

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country on September the 11th, 2001. The security of our Nation is 
foremost in my mind. I vowed that day and I vow to you today that the 
United States of America will stay on the hunt and bring the killers to 
justice.
    And one of the lessons of September the 11th is that this Nation 
must take threats seriously before they fully materialize. And I saw a 
threat in Saddam Hussein. He had invaded a neighbor; he had used weapons 
of mass destruction against his own people; he had the capability of 
making weapons of mass destruction; he harbored terrorists; he was 
shooting at U.S. aircraft. He was a threat, and the world is better off 
without Saddam Hussein in power.
    Our goal in Iraq is to have an ally in the war on terror and to help 
that young country establish an Iraqi-style democracy. Last December, 12 
million people defied the car bombers and the killers and the 
terrorists, and said that ``We want to live in liberty.'' Recently a 
unity government has formed in Iraq. They reached an agreement on their 
top leadership posts. This new Government represents a turning point in 
Iraq, a new chapter in our engagement there, and an opportunity for 
progress. We will form a new partnership with these leaders. We will 
adjust our methods to support their priorities. We will strengthen our 
mutual efforts to achieve victory.
    But I want you to understand that the new Government is yet another 
blow to those who hate liberty. First, it will deny the terrorists their 
immediate aim of turning Iraq into a safe haven from which they can plot 
and plan attacks against the United States and our allies. And secondly, 
a democratic Iraq will be a major blow to the terrorists' hateful 
ideology, sending a powerful message across the region that the future 
of the Middle East belongs to freedom. The only way we can lose in Iraq 
is if we lose our nerve, and I am not going to lose my nerve.
    The AJC, the American Government, and most of the nations of the 
world are concerned about Iran. We're concerned because the Iranian 
regime is repressing its people, sponsoring terrorists, destabilizing 
the region, threatening Israel, and defying the world with its ambitions 
for nuclear weapons. America will continue to rally the world to 
confront these threats.
    We're making progress. The first goal is to reach a common 
objective, and the objective amongst America, our European allies, 
Russia, and China is to deny Iran a nuclear weapon. I spent time with 
Chancellor Merkel yesterday talking about this important issue. I can 
assure you we have a strong ally in Chancellor Merkel when it comes to 
uniting the world to speak with one clear voice.
    We will continue to press the Iranian Government to comply with 
IAEA, as well as U.N. Security Council resolutions. America respects and 
admires the people of Iran. We respect their history and culture. We 
respect their right to choose their own future and win their own 
freedom. And America looks forward to the day when our Nation can be 
closest of friends with a free and democratic Iran.
    Before I introduce the Chancellor, I do want to talk about another 
subject that I know is important to you, and it's important to me, and 
that's Darfur. Last weekend, thousands rallied on our National Mall to 
call for justice in Darfur. And among the speakers was a man who 
understands the meaning of evil. You know him well. Elie Wiesel put it 
this way: ``We refuse to be silent because silent helps the killer, 
never his victims.''
    America is not silent. The United States is the only country to have 
called the crimes taking place in Sudan what they are--genocide. To end 
these atrocities, we've developed a clear standard. First, there must be 
a political course. Right now as we speak, we're negotiating to bring a 
political settlement so that all sides will lay down their arms, a 
settlement between the Government and the rebels. These conversations 
are taking place in Abuja.
    But, as well, we must understand that the rape and the murder and 
the suffering must be stopped, and that's why I believe strongly that we 
must augment AU forces with a blue-helmeted U.N. force, with a NATO 
overlay, so that we can send a clear message to the leaders of Sudan: We 
will not tolerate the genocide taking place in that country.
    My remaining time in office, I look forward to working with AJC 
leaders. I appreciate your steadfast strength when it comes

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to dealing with terror. I appreciate your strong belief in the power of 
liberty to transform the world we have. I look forward to working with 
you to continue to lay the foundations of peace, so that generations 
after our time will look at all of us and say, job well done.
    And now it's my pleasure to introduce a leader who understands the 
importance of freedom. Angela Merkel grew up in East Germany during the 
dark days of the cold war. She understands what it means to live in a 
free society. She understands the power of liberty. She's a 
straightforward person; she tells me what's on her mind. She's a woman 
of good judgment. She's a strong leader. It's my privilege to welcome 
her here, and to our friends at the AJC.

Note: The President spoke at 6:57 p.m. at the National Building Museum. 
In his remarks, he referred to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and former 
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel; former President Saddam Hussein 
of Iraq; Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany; and Nobel prize winner and 
author Elie Wiesel. A complete transcript of these remarks is available 
on the White House web site, www.whitehouse.gov.