THE
PRESIDENT: Today the Iraqi people reached an important milestone in
their journey on democracy. Iraqi leaders announced agreement on the top
leadership posts for a national unity government. This agreement
represents compromise and consensus among many different Iraqi groups,
and it came after months of patient negotiations.
The agreement reflects the will of the Iraqi people, who defied
the terrorists by voting to choose the men and women who will lead their
nation forward. And this historic achievement, by determined Iraqis,
will make America more secure.
Iraq is a nation made up of many different ethnic and religious
groups, and Iraq's new leaders represent their country's great
diversity. The Iraqi people have rejected the terrorists' efforts to
divide them, and they have chosen the path of unity for their free
nation.
The new Iraqi leadership now has 30 days to finalize the makeup of
the Iraqi cabinet. Once inaugurated, the new government will hold power
for up to four years. Unlike the interim and transitional governments
that came before, the new Iraqi government will have full constitutional
authority. And because it expresses the will of 12 million Iraqis who
went to the polls last December, it will have the popular mandate to
address Iraq's toughest long-term challenges.
Iraq's new leaders have important responsibilities to the people who
chose them. The new government has a responsibility to deploy the
growing strength of the Iraqi security forces to defeat the terrorists
and insurgents and establish control over the militias. The government
has the responsibility to rebuild infrastructure that makes commerce
possible and that supports the education and health needs of the Iraqi
people. The government must strengthen the economy and encourage job
creation and enforce the rule of law. The new government must ensure
that improvements in prosperity and security occur throughout the
country, so that all Iraqis share in the benefits of their new
democracy.
These are major challenges, and the new Iraqi government will not
face them alone. America is helping Iraq's young democracy move forward.
Iraqis and Americans are fighting side-by-side against a common enemy.
We're going to defeat the terrorists in Iraq. We will deny them safe
haven. And a free Iraq in the heart of the Middle East will be a
powerful blow to the terrorists and a beacon of liberty for people
across that region.
Formation of a new Iraqi government is an opportunity for America to
open a new chapter in our partnership with the Iraqi people. The United
States and our coalition partners will work with the new Iraqi
government to reassess our tactics, adjust our methods, and strengthen
our mutual efforts to achieve victory in this central front in the war
on terror.
The new Iraqi government will assume growing responsibility for their
nation's security. And as more Iraqi forces stand up, American forces
will stand down. I want to thank all the brave Americans, both in our
military and the diplomatic corps, who have served the cause of freedom
in Iraq over the past three years. I thank their families who have
sacrificed time with loved ones serving far from home. I want to thank
our wounded servicemen and women, who have given so much to make this
moment possible. And our nation remembers the fallen heroes who gave
their lives to bring liberty to Iraq and security to America. And we
will honor their sacrifice by completing this mission.
There's going to be more tough fighting ahead in Iraq, and there will
be more days of sacrifice and struggle. Yet the enemies of freedom have
suffered a real blow today. And we've taken a great stride on the march
to victory. The Iraqi people have defied the terrorist threats, Iraqi
soldiers and police have fought with valor for the freedom of their
country, and Iraqi leaders have laid the foundations for a democratic
government of, by, and for the Iraqi people.
On behalf of all Americans, I congratulate the Iraqi people and their
new leaders. The Iraqis are showing the world that democracy is worth
the wait, that liberty is worth the sacrifice, and that freedom is the
future of every man, woman and child on this earth.
Thank you very much.