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16 April 2003

Bush Congratulates Iraqis on "Historic Gathering" in Nasiriyah

(Says U.S. backs Iraqi commitment to democracy) (3030)
President Bush described the first meeting of Iraqis to discuss a
future government as a "historic gathering" that will be followed by
many more meetings in the weeks and months to come.
Speaking to employees at the Boeing F-18 Production Facility in St.
Louis, Missouri April 16, Bush said that in the southern Iraqi city of
Nasiriyah April 15, "the Iraqi people have made a good start" in
declaring their goal that "Iraq must be democratic."
"We also share this commitment," said Bush. "We will not impose any
form of government on Iraq. We will help Iraq to build a government
of, by, and for the Iraqi people."
Bush also said that since Iraq has been liberated from Saddam
Hussein's regime, "the United Nations should lift economic sanctions
on that country."
"Two weeks ago, the Iraqi regime operated a gulag for dissidents, and
incredibly enough, a prison for young children. Now the gates to that
prison have been thrown wide open, and we are putting the dictators,
political prisons, and torture chambers out of business," he said.
The president added that similar to Iraqis, people in other parts of
the Middle East and across the world yearn for freedom and share a
weariness of poverty and oppression. All who are willing to "work and
sacrifice for freedom" will "have a friend in the United States of
America," Bush said.
"Free societies do not nurture bitterness, or the ideologies of terror
and murder. Free societies are founded on the belief that every life
has equal value. Free societies turn the creative gifts of men and
women towards progress and the betterment of their own lives," said
Bush.
An international effort is underway in Iraq to address the country's
urgent medical problems "left by a regime that built palaces in a
country that needed hospitals," he said.
"Right now, hundreds of Iraqis are being treated at U.S. and British
military facilities. Governments from Europe and the Middle East are
moving field hospitals to Iraq. Coalition members and the United
Nations and other international organizations are sending much needed
medical supplies. The Red Cross is working to keep water and
electricity flowing to hospitals. And very soon our coalition will be
making direct emergency payments to Iraqi doctors and nurses who will
be providing desperately needed care to their fellow citizens," said
Bush.
The president also praised the workers at Boeing for their
contribution to the U.S. war effort. He said that the U.S. military
demonstrated that the technology and precision of military weapons had
improved so that "we can target a regime, not a nation."
"Our aim is to track and strike the guilty," said Bush. "Terrorists
and tyrants have now been put on notice, they can no longer feel safe
hiding behind innocent lives."
Following is a transcript of President Bush's speech to the staff at
the Boeing Production Facility:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(St. Louis, Missouri)
April 16, 2003
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO STAFF OF BOEING F-18 PRODUCTION FACILITY
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Headquarters
Boeing F-18 Production Facility
St. Louis, Missouri
12:20 P.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. Be seated, please. So I'm on
my way to Crawford -- (laughter) -- part of the real world, I want you
to know -- and I decided to stop here in St. Louis, Missouri, to say
thanks to some of the finest workers we have in America. (Applause.)
And it's a perfect time to do so. The successes of our military begin
right here on the factory floors. The quality of the workmanship that
goes into the aircrafts that you build here is one of the main reasons
why we were successful in making the world a more peaceful place. Our
nation thanks you for your efforts and your work. (Applause.)
Seeing all the good workers here reminds me of one of the big tasks we
have in America -- and that is to make sure anybody who's looking for
a job can find one. (Applause.) Too many of our fellow Americans are
looking for work, and that bothers me. So I sent some suggestions up
to the United States Congress about how to stimulate job growth. And
it starts with letting you keep more of your own money. (Applause.)
I have sent to the Congress a jobs and growth package that will reduce
the burden on our taxpayers, that will give you more of your money in
your pockets so you get to decide how to save or invest and spend. In
order for all Americans who are looking for work to find work, the
Congress must pass this jobs package as soon as they come back from
their recess. (Applause.)
And the other big task for this nation is to overcome any threats to
our country, wherever they gather. Each of you has had a part of
preparing this nation to meet the dangers of our time. Today, half a
world away, America is leading this great coalition of free nations to
end a brutal regime and to remove a threat to our society. We've
applied the new powers of technology -- like the F-18s -- to strike an
enemy force with speed and incredible precision. Our work is not done;
the difficulties have not passed; but the regime of Saddam Hussein has
passed into history. (Applause.)
Thanks to the courage and the might of our military, the American
people are more secure. Thanks to the courage and might of our
military, the Iraqi people are now free. (Applause.)
I want to thank management and worker alike for inviting me here
today. It's truly an honor to be here. I want to thank Phil Condit and
Jim Albaugh and Ric Smith for the invitation. It gives me a chance to
come and say firsthand how much we all appreciate what you do on
behalf of the security of this country. I appreciate Senator Bond and
Senator Talent for their leadership. It's good to work with these two
men to make sure this nation remains strong. I appreciate Matt Blunt,
representing the state government, for being here.
Today I had the honor of meeting John Sant. He was so anxious to see
me at the foot of the stairs of Air Force One, he was standing in the
rain. And I'm grateful for that. But I'm grateful to share his story
with you. Here's a man who decided to take time out of his busy life
to volunteer to help children become more literate, volunteers to help
the AmeriCorps program to make sure the public education system of St.
Louis, Missouri fulfills its promise that no child should be left
behind in any community in America. It is appropriate that we talk
about the compassion of our fellow Americans at the same time as we
talk about the might of our great country.
I asked John to come and to stand because one of my calls to our
fellow Americans is to love your neighbor just like you'd like to be
loved yourself. When you see somebody who hurts, put your arm around
them and tell them you love them and make sure that -- (applause.)
And also standing out there at the stairs was Adrian Fakes Private
First-class U.S. Marine Corps. (Applause.) A St. Louis native, wounded
in An Nasiriyah, soon to recover, anxious to get back to his unit. He
represents the finest of the fine -- those of our country who wear the
uniform. Thank you for coming, Adrian. (Applause.)
You and I and all the world are witnessing historic days in the cause
of freedom. One month ago -- just one month ago -- the forces of our
coalition stood at the borders of Iraq, with orders to advance
hundreds of miles through hostile territory, against a ruthless enemy.
Today, organized military resistance is virtually ended; the major
cities of Iraq have been liberated. (Applause.)
Two weeks ago, the Iraqi regime operated a gulag for dissidents, and
incredibly enough, a prison for young children. Now the gates to that
prison have been thrown wide open, and we are putting the dictators,
political prisons, and torture chambers out of business. (Applause.)
One week ago, Baghdad was filled with statues and giant pictures of
the dictator. They're kind of hard to find today. (Laughter.) The fall
of that statue in Baghdad marked the end of a nightmare for the Iraqi
people, and it marked the start of a new day of freedom. (Applause.)
Four days ago, seven American soldiers, six men and one woman, were
held captive by forces still loyal to the fallen regime. Today, those
brave Americans are with their fellow comrades, and are headed home to
their loved ones. (Applause.)
American and coalition forces still face serious risks in Iraq.
Scattered enemy is still capable of doing harm to our forces and to
the innocent. But we'll stay focused. We will finish what we've begun.
We will press on until our mission is finished and victory is
complete. (Applause.)
On September the 11th, 2001, America found that we are not immune to
the threats that gather for years across the ocean; threats that can
arrive in sudden tragedy. Since September the 11th, we've been engaged
in a global war against terror, a war being waged on many fronts. That
war continues, and we are winning. (Applause.)
In Afghanistan, we and our allies ended the rule of the Taliban and
closed down camps where terrorists plotted and trained to attack us.
In Iraq, our coalition has now removed an ally of terrorists and a
producer of weapons of mass destruction. In other nations we're
hunting and capturing members of al Qaeda, disrupting their plans
before they can strike. Across the world, terrorists and tyrants are
learning this -- that America and our friends and our allies will act
in our own defense. Instead of drifting toward tragedy, we will
protect our security, and we will promote the peace in the world.
(Applause.)
We are fighting terror with all the tools we have at our disposal:
diplomacy and law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security. As
a last resort, we have turned to our military. And the skill and the
heroism of American Armed Forces are making this country proud.
(Applause.)
From Kabul to Baghdad, American forces and our fine allies have
conducted some of the most successful military campaigns in history.
By a combination of creative strategies and advanced technology, we
are redefining war on our terms. (Applause.) Even before the fighting
began in Iraq, Special Operations forces were inside the country,
moving in to protect key infrastructure, protect the oil fields owned
by the Iraqi people, secure vital bridges. Overwhelmingly, yet
carefully targeted, air strikes left entire enemy divisions without
armor and without organization. Precision-guided weapons fatally
disrupted the regime's system of command and control.
Every armed conflict brings sacrifice and grief. That's why the use of
our military is our last option. Yet, more than ever before, the
precision of our technology is protecting the lives of our soldiers,
and the lives of innocent civilians. The overwhelming majority of the
munitions dropped in the Iraqi campaign were precision-guided. In this
new era of warfare, we can target a regime, not a nation. Our aim is
to track and strike the guilty. Terrorists and tyrants have now been
put on notice, they can no longer feel safe hiding behind innocent
lives. (Applause.)
Our military is strong and our military is ready, and we intend to
keep it that way. (Applause.) Our Armed Forces must have every
resource they need to carry out and complete the missions we give
them. This morning at the White House, I signed a $79-billion wartime
supplemental to cover the needs directly arising from Operation Iraqi
Freedom and the reconstruction of Iraq. People who serve in the
military are giving their best to America, and I want to thank the
members of Congress for acting quickly to give our men and women in
arms the support they need. (Applause.)
For the sake of the security of this country and for the sake of peace
in this world, the United States must maintain every advantage in
weaponry and technology and intelligence. Our edge in warfare comes,
in part, because of the American spirit of enterprise -- great
companies such as Boeing, great workers such as yourselves.
(Applause.)
In any conflict, however, this nation's greatest single asset is the
kind of men and women who put on the uniform of the United States. The
methods of war have changed, but the need for courage has not. And
we've seen, once again, the courage of the men and women who wear the
uniform of the United States of America. These are young Americans who
engaged in furious battles -- then carried wounded enemy to medical
treatment. These are young Americans willing to accept any danger to
rescue one of their own. These are the kind of people who, when they
are wounded themselves, ask to rejoin their comrades in battle. Some
of our soldiers and Marines will never be returning to their families.
And these are the men and women who our nation will honor forever.
(Applause.)
The character of our military reflects the character of our country.
America uses its might in the service of principle. As we defend our
security, we value the lives and the liberty of the Iraqi people.
Having rid Iraq of an oppressive regime, we are committed to helping
Iraq build a future of freedom and dignity and peace. (Applause.)
By swift and effective military action, we avoided the massive flow of
refugees that many had expected. By delivering food and water and
medicine to the Iraqi people -- even as coalition units engaged the
enemy -- we have helped to avert a humanitarian crisis. Emergency
supplies are now moving freely to Iraq from many countries. Now that
Iraq is liberated, the United Nations should life economic sanctions
on that country.
We're also addressing Iraq's urgent medical problems -- problems left
by a regime that built palaces in a country that needed hospitals.
(Applause.) Right now, hundreds of Iraqis are being treated at U.S.
and British military facilities. Governments from Europe and the
Middle East are moving field hospitals to Iraq. Coalition members and
the United Nations and other international organizations are sending
much needed medical supplies. The Red Cross is working to keep water
and electricity flowing to hospitals. And very soon our coalition will
be making direct emergency payments to Iraqi doctors and nurses who
will be providing desperately needed care to their fellow citizens.
With all the hardships of this transition, the lives of the Iraqi
people will be better than anything they have known for generations.
(Applause.)
The journey from a totalitarian, brutal dictatorship to a free society
is not easy. It will take time to build the institutions of democracy
and the habits of freedom. Today, civil order is being restored in
communities throughout Iraq, and Iraqis themselves are helping in the
effort. Iraqis are leading coalition forces to caches of weapons and
volunteering for citizen patrols to provide security. In Basra,
British forces and Iraqis have formed joint patrols to maintain order.
Just days after the fall of the dictator, just days after the people
of Iraq realized they were free from the clutches of his terror, the
Iraqi people are reclaiming their own streets, their own country, and
their own future. (Applause.)
Yesterday, an historic gathering occurred in the city of An Nasiriyah,
where Iraqis met openly and freely to discuss the future of the
country. They even had some protesters outside the meeting -- a sure
sign of freedom. (Applause.) Many more of these meetings will take
place in the weeks and months to come. In An Nasiriyah, the Iraqi
people have made a good start. And out of that meeting came this
declaration: Iraq must be democratic. (Applause.)
And the nations of our coalition share that commitment. We also share
this commitment: We will not impose any form of government on Iraq. We
will help Iraq to build a government of, by, and for the Iraqi people.
(Applause.)
In Iraq, the world is witnessing something dramatic, and something
important. We're seeing the deep and universal desire of men and women
to live in freedom. As Americans, this shouldn't surprise us. We
believe that no force, no threat, can make human beings love tyranny.
We believe that the appeal of liberty will, in time, overcome any
coercive power on Earth. We believe that people across the Middle East
and across the world are weary of poverty, weary of oppression, and
yearn to be free. (Applause.) And all who know that hope, all who will
work and sacrifice for freedom, have a friend in the United States of
America. (Applause.)
Our country and our good allies are united by a great goal: We're
working to create the conditions for peace. We're confronting the
threats to peace from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. And
we're aiding the advance of peace by seeking the advance of freedom.
Free societies do not nurture bitterness, or the ideologies of terror
and murder. Free societies are founded on the belief that every life
has equal value. Free societies turn the creative gifts of men and
women towards progress and the betterment of their own lives. American
interests and American founding beliefs lead in the same direction: We
stand for human liberty. (Applause.)
This past month has been a time of testing and uncertainty for our
country. The American people have responded with resolve and with
optimism. Whatever challenges may come, we can be confident. Our
nation is strong, our purpose is firm, and our cause is just.
(Applause.) God bless you all.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)