[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 12 (Monday, March 26, 2007)]
[Page 365]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Meeting With Leaders of Provincial Reconstruction 
Teams in Iraq

March 22, 2007

    I just had a remarkable visit with some remarkable citizens. I want 
to thank them--Secretary Rice and Secretary England and other members of 
my administration--for being here to listen to State Department folks, 
USAID folks, and military folks talk about why they volunteered to go 
help Iraq succeed.
    We have a remarkable country, and we have people from different 
walks of life, different levels of experience make the decision to serve 
America by helping a young democracy survive. They understand what I 
understand, and that is, success in Iraq is important for the security 
of the United States. And my first mission was to thank them and their 
families. The country owes you a debt of gratitude.
    And the Congress owes you the money you need to do the job, without 
any strings attached. In the recent--in the bill that's now being 
debated, there is money to help you do your jobs, in that bill. And 
Congress needs to get that bill out as quickly as possible, without a 
lot of extra spending and without a lot of strings to it.
    There is money in that bill to make sure our military is funded. And 
I believe it's important for our commanders on the ground to have the 
flexibility necessary to make decisions to succeed. We don't want you to 
go into Iraq and then have unnecessary strings placed upon the money so 
you can't do your job. Congress needs to get their business done 
quickly, get the monies we requested funded, and let our folks on the 
ground do the job.
    Secondly, Secretary Rice is headed to the Middle East. Peace in the 
Middle East is a priority for this administration. She's going to 
continue our efforts to involve all parties--the Palestinians, the 
Israelis, Arabs--to work for a solution that will lead to peace, and 
that is a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in peace and 
security.
    I have been on the phone to some of my counterparts in the Middle 
East, reminding them that I have a strong commitment to this vision, as 
does the Secretary. This will be hard work. It's not easy to get all 
parties headed in the right direction, but it's necessary work for this 
country. And it's necessary for our Secretary of State, with my strong 
approval, to be moving the process forward. And that's what she'll be 
doing.
    Madam Secretary, I wish you all the best on your trip, and I thank 
you very much for your service.
    In the meantime, thank you all. Please give your families all the 
thanks in the world. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 11:15 a.m. in Room 350 of the Dwight D. 
Eisenhower Executive Office Building.