We are using every element of national power to defeat
the terrorists. First, we're staying on the offense against the
terrorists, fighting them overseas so we do not have to face them here
at home. Second, we made it clear to all nations, if you harbor
terrorists, you're as guilty as the terrorists, you're an enemy of the
United States, and you will be held to account. And third, we have
launched a bold new agenda to defeat the ideology of the enemy by
supporting the forces of freedom and moderation in the Middle East and
beyond.
A vital part of our strategy to defeat the terrorists is to help
establish a democratic Iraq, which will be a beacon of liberty in the
region and an ally in the global war on terror. The terrorists
understand the threat a democratic Iraq poses to their cause, so they've
been fighting a bloody campaign of sectarian violence, which they hope
will plunge that country into a civil war. Our commanders and diplomats
on the ground believe that Iraq has not descended into a civil war. They
report that only a small number of Iraqis are engaged in sectarian
violence, while the overwhelming majority want peace and a normal life
in a unified country. America will stand with the Iraqi people as they
protect their new freedom -- and build a democracy that can govern
itself, sustain itself, and defend itself.
Working side-by-side with Iraqi forces, we recently launched a major
new campaign to end the security crisis in Baghdad. This operation is
still in its early stages, yet the initial results are encouraging. The
people of Baghdad are seeing their security forces in the streets,
dealing a blow to criminals and terrorists. According to one military
report, a Sunni man in a diverse Baghdad neighborhood said this about
the Shia soldiers on patrol: "Their image has changed. Now you feel they
are there to protect you." Over the coming weeks and months, the
operation will expand throughout Baghdad -- until Iraq's democratic
government is in full control of the capital. This work is difficult and
dangerous, but Iraqi forces are determined to succeed -- and America is
determined to help them.
Here at home, some politicians say that our best option is to pull
out of Iraq, regardless of the situation on the ground. Many of these
people are sincere and patriotic -- but they could not be more wrong. If
America were to pull out before Iraq can defend itself, the consequences
would be disastrous. We would be handing Iraq over to the terrorists,
giving them a base of operations and huge oil riches to fund their
ambitions. And we know exactly where those ambitions lead. If we give up
the fight in the streets of Baghdad, we will face the terrorists in the
streets of our own cities. The security of the civilized world depends
on victory in the war on terror, and that depends on victory in Iraq, so
America will not leave until victory is achieved.
For all the debate, American policy in the Middle East comes down to
a straightforward choice: We can allow the Middle East to continue on
the course that led to September the 11th -- and a generation from now,
our children will face a region dominated by terrorist states and
radical dictators armed with nuclear weapons. Or we can stop that from
happening, by rallying the world to confront the ideology of hate, by
supporting the forces of liberty and moderation in the region, and by
helping give the people of the Middle East a future of hope. And that is
the choice America has made.
The path to victory will be uphill and uneven, and it will require
more patience and sacrifice from our Nation. Yet we can be confident of
the outcome, because America will not waver -- and because the direction
of history leads toward freedom.
Thank you for listening. |