[Vision2020] Bush: U.S. Forces to Stay in Iraq 'Until Job Complete'

[Tom Hansen]

>From the American Forces Press Service -

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By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2006 - U.S. leaders will consider all options on moving
forward in Iraq, but three tenets of U.S. Iraq policy "remain firm and
they're fixed," President Bush said this morning after a meeting with Iraqi
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Amman, Jordan. 

He also reiterated that U.S. forces would remain in Iraq "until the job is
complete, at the request of a sovereign government elected by the people." 

However, Bush said, the United States ready to make changes "to better
support the unity government of Iraq." He outlined three "key principles"
the U.S. government would not waver from. 

First among these tenets is that U.S. officials believe the success of
Maliki's unity government is critical to progress in Iraq. "His government
was chosen by the Iraqi people through free elections in which nearly 12
million people defied terrorists to cast their ballots," Bush said. "I've
told the prime minister that our goal in Iraq is to strengthen his
government and to support his efforts to build a free Iraq that can govern
itself, sustain itself and defend itself, and is an ally in the war against
the terrorists." 

Maliki agreed. He said Iraqi leaders have many ideas about the way forward
and that he believes the challenges Iraq is facing are "not outrageous"
given what the country has been through. "There are criminals, there are
people who are breaking the law," he said through a translator. "But the
steel strength of the national unity government would help us face all those
who are breaking the law, or those who are trying to take down democracy in
Iraq, or those who are conspiring and trying to have coups or basically
bring down the national unity government." 

Second, the Iraqi security forces must be strengthened because the
government's success depends on their success. Bush said he and Maliki
agreed on the importance of speeding up training for Iraqi forces. "Our goal
is to ensure that the Prime Minister has more capable forces under his
control so his government can fight the terrorists and the death squads, and
provide security and stability in his country," Bush said. 

Finally, U.S. officials still believe Iraq must remain one united country
"where democracy is preserved, the rule of law prevails, and minority rights
are respected," Bush said. 

"In the long-term, security in Iraq requires reconciliation among Iraq's
different ethnic and religious communities, something the overwhelming
majority of Iraqis want," he added. 

Bush said he has solicited advice from military leaders and is awaiting
recommendations from an independent group studying the situation in Iraq. "I
assured the prime minister that our review is aimed at strengthening the
capacity of the sovereign government of Iraq to meet their objectives, which
we share," he said. "I want to hear all advice before I make my decisions
about adjustments to our strategy and tactics in Iraq to help this
government succeed." 

However, he stressed, looking at options will not mean pulling U.S. troops
out of Iraq in the near future. "I know there's a lot of speculation that
these reports in Washington mean there's going to be some kind of graceful
exit out of Iraq," he said. "We're going to stay in Iraq to get the job
done, so long as the government wants us there." 

Bush thanked Maliki for traveling from Iraq to meet with him and said close
cooperation with the Iraqi government is key to the U.S. assessment process.


"The prime minister and I agree that the outcome in Iraq will affect the
entire region. To stop the extremists from dominating the Middle East, we
must stop the extremists from achieving their goal of dominating Iraq. If
the extremists succeed in Iraq, they will be emboldened in their efforts to
undermine other young democracies in the region, or to overthrow moderate
governments, establish new safe havens, and impose their hateful ideology on
millions," Bush said. "If the Iraqis succeed in establishing a free nation
in the heart of the Middle East, the forces of freedom and moderation across
the region will be emboldened, and the cause of peace will have new energy
and new allies." 

Expressing confidence in Maliki's leadership, Bush said he was reassured by
the prime minister's "commitment to a pluralistic society that is
politically united and a society in which people are held to account if they
break the law, whether those people be criminals, al Qaeda, militia,
whoever." 

The leaders agreed that terrorism is the greatest challenge to the new Iraqi
government. "Terrorism is not a danger only to Iraq, it's a culture, it's an
ideology. The whole civilized world must face it as one line, one unit,"
Maliki said. "Some people might not understand the successes that we have as
we daily face terrorism in Iraq and as the security forces in Iraq chase
them down, arrest them. This is solid strength based on our vision, and our
vision is that terrorism, terroristic ideology, extremism, sectarianism are
all issues that will rob humans from happiness." 

In a joint statement issued after their meeting, Bush and Maliki said they
had "discussed the plague of terrorism in Iraq, which is being fomented and
fueled by al Qaeda." 

"The people of Iraq, like the people of the United States and the entire
civilized world, must stand together to face this common threat," they said
in the statement. "We agreed that defeating al Qaeda and the terrorists is
vital to ensuring the success of Iraq's democracy. We discussed the means by
which the United States will enhance Iraq's capabilities to further isolate
extremists and bring all who choose violence and terror to full justice
under Iraqi law."

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And the beat goes on . . .

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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"In America, anybody can become president.  
That's one of the risks you take . . ."

- Adlai Stevenson

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