[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 29 (Monday, July 24, 2006)]
[Pages 1372-1373]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With Military Personnel and an Exchange With 
Reporters in Aurora, Colorado

July 21, 2006

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

    The President. ----and this country supports you and admires you and 
appreciates your dedication. You're doing some hard

[[Page 1373]]

work. It's hard work to defeat terrorists, killers that wanted to 
achieve their objective. But we'll succeed; we'll prevail.
    I want our troops to understand that not only does the country 
support them, but we'll--we'll win. It's in our national interests that 
we win. And we will. We've got some powerful, powerful weapons on our 
side. We've got the men and women who wear the uniform, people who bring 
such dignity and honor and bring compassion to people who have been 
suffering under tyranny and are now wondering whether or not the future 
is bright for them. And we've got freedom on our side too, and freedom 
is a powerful weapon. People want to be free.
    And again, I want to thank you all for your service. I want to thank 
your families. I wish they were here so I could thank them in person. 
But your sacrifice has meant a lot. Congratulations for stepping up and 
volunteering and being a part of history. Thanks for giving me a chance 
to visit and have a little lunch with you. God bless you all.

Secretary Rice's Upcoming Visit to the Middle East

    Q. Mr. President, what do you hope Secretary Rice accomplishes on 
her trip to the Middle East, sir?
    The President. I'm going to talk to her tomorrow when I--Sunday, 
when I get back to the White House. We're going to have a good visit.
    Q. What do you hope she accomplishes, sir?
    The President. I said I would talk to her tomorrow.

Note: The President spoke at 11:35 a.m. at Tamale Fiesta Kitchen. A tape 
was not available for verification of the content of these remarks.