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Skriven 2006-05-12 23:33:02 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (060512) for Fri, 2006 May 12
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President Bush Meets with Former Secretaries of State and Former
Secretaries of Defense
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 12, 2006

President Bush Meets with Former Secretaries of State and Former
Secretaries of Defense
The Roosevelt Room


˙˙˙˙˙ In Focus: Renewal in Iraq

10:30 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: I've just completed a second meeting with former Secretaries
of State and former Secretaries of Defense on Iraq. We also discussed the
broader Middle East, as well.

I want to thank you all very much for sharing your thoughts not only with
me, but with the Vice President and Secretary Rice and Secretary Rumsfeld.
It really means a lot to hear your thoughts and your concerns and your
suggestions about the way forward in Iraq. We've had our disagreements in
this country about whether or not we should be there in the first place.
Now the fundamental question is, how do we achieve our objectives, which is
a democracy which can defend itself, sustain itself, a country which is an
ally in the war on terror, and a country which serves as a powerful example
for others who desire to be free.

Since we last met, a unity government is now in the process of becoming
formed. I've got great hopes about this unity government. We've got a Shia
as the Prime Minister-designee, a Sunni as the Speaker, a Kurd as the
President, all of whom have dedicated themselves to a country moving
forward that meets the hopes and aspirations of the Iraqi people.

There are certainly challenges and the Secretaries here discussed those
challenges with us. Perhaps the main challenge is the militia that tend to
take the law into their own hands. And it's going to be up to the
government to step up and take care of that militia so that the Iraqi
people are confident in the security of their country. It's important to
have a secure Iraq in order for people to go about their daily lives. And
we understand that.

I also assured the Secretaries here that this government is committed to
success. They've got good people on the ground, we've got brave troops that
are working every day to help this country succeed, and at the same time,
deny safe haven to al Qaeda.

And again, I want to thank the members for coming -- the former Secretaries
for coming. I think it's very useful for those of us who are helping to
plot the strategies and the tactics to help secure this country to hear
from you. I'm optimistic about our successes. I know this: The only way we
will not succeed is if we lose our nerve, we don't have faith in our
values, and that we're constantly changing tactics on the ground to achieve
our objectives.

So, thank you for coming.

END 10:34 A.M. EDT

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