[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 49 (Monday, December 11, 2006)]
[Pages 2120-2121]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

December 2, 2006

    Good morning. I returned home this week from a visit to the Middle 
East. On my trip, I met with Prime Minister Maliki of Iraq to discuss 
how we can improve the situation on the ground in his country and help 
the Iraqis build a lasting democracy.
    My meeting with Prime Minister Maliki was our third since he took 
office 6 months ago. With each meeting, I'm coming to know him better, 
and I'm becoming more impressed by his desire to make the difficult 
choices that will put his country on a better path. During our meeting, 
I told the Prime Minister that America is ready to make changes to 
better support the unity Government of Iraq, and that several key 
principles will guide our efforts.
    First, the success of Prime Minister Maliki's Government is critical 
to success in Iraq. His unity Government was chosen through free 
elections in which nearly 12 million Iraqis cast their ballots in 
support of democracy. Our goal in Iraq is to strengthen his democratic 
Government and help Iraq's leaders build a free nation that can govern 
itself, sustain itself, and defend itself--and is an ally in the war on 
terror.
    Second, the success of the Iraqi Government depends on the success 
of the Iraqi security forces. The training of Iraqi security forces has 
been steady, yet we both agreed that we need to do more, and we need to 
do it faster. The Prime Minister wants to show the people who elected 
him that he's willing to make the hard decisions necessary to provide 
security.
    To do that, he needs larger and more capable Iraqi forces under his 
control, and he

[[Page 2121]]

needs them quickly. By helping Iraq's elected leaders get the Iraqi 
forces they need, we will help Iraq's democratic Government become more 
effective in fighting the terrorists and other violent extremists, and 
in providing security and stability, particularly in Baghdad.
    Third, success in Iraq requires strong institutions that will stand 
the test of time and hardship. Our goal in Iraq is to help Prime 
Minister Maliki build a country that is united, where the rule of law 
prevails and the rights of minorities are respected. The Prime Minister 
made clear that splitting his country into parts is not what the Iraqi 
people want and that any partition of Iraq would lead to an increase in 
sectarian violence.
    Security in Iraq requires sustained action by the Iraqi security 
forces, yet in the long term, security in Iraq hinges on reconciliation 
among Iraq's different ethnic and religious communities. And the Prime 
Minister has committed his Government to achieving that goal.
    The Prime Minister and I also discussed the review of America's 
strategy in Iraq that is now nearing completion. As part of this review, 
I've asked our military leaders in the Pentagon and those on the ground 
in Iraq to provide their recommendations on the best way forward.
    A bipartisan panel, led by former Secretary of State James Baker and 
former Congressman Lee Hamilton, is also conducting a review. And I look 
forward to receiving their report next week. I want to hear all advice 
before I make any decisions about adjustments to our strategy in Iraq.
    I recognize that the recent violence in Iraq has been unsettling. 
Many people in our country are wondering about the way forward. The work 
ahead will not be easy, yet by helping Prime Minister Maliki strengthen 
Iraq's democratic institutions and promote national reconciliation, our 
military leaders and diplomats can help put Iraq on a solid path to 
liberty and democracy. The decisions we make in Iraq will be felt across 
the broader Middle East.
    Failure in Iraq would embolden the extremists who hate America and 
want nothing more than to see our demise. It would strengthen the hand 
of those who are seeking to undermine young democracies across the 
region and give the extremists an open field to overthrow moderate 
governments, take control of countries, impose their rule on millions, 
and threaten the American people. Our Nation must not allow this to 
happen.
    Success in Iraq will require leaders in Washington--Republicans and 
Democrats alike--to come together and find greater consensus on the best 
path forward. So I will work with leaders in both parties to achieve 
this goal. Together we can help Iraqis build a free and democratic 
nation in the heart of the Middle East, strengthen moderates and 
reformers across the region who are working for peace, and leave our 
children and grandchildren a more secure and hopeful world.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at approximately 7:50 a.m. on December 1 
in the Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on 
December 2. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on December 1 but was embargoed for release until the 
broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of this address.