PEACE & SECURITY | Creating a more stable world
31 January 2008
Future Iraq Decisions Will Be Determined by Success, Bush Says
Iraq's security remains important to U.S. security
Washington -- The United States has come too far in Iraq in defeating terrorists, militias and insurgents not to make sure it ultimately succeeds, President Bush says. Future troop reductions will be based on the advice of military commanders and conditions, he says.
"Iraq is important for our security. I will be making decisions based upon success in Iraq," the president said January 31 in Las Vegas.
The surge begun in 2007 has been working; the terrorists understand that, and al-Qaida knows that, he said. The terrorists are on the run, and "we're going to keep them on the run, and it's in our interests for our own security to keep them on the run," he said.
The decision to send more troops into Iraq was not easy, and may not have been the most popular political decision, but it was a decision based on the best advice of military commanders and the conditions present in Iraq, he said.
"We went in with a counterinsurgency strategy, all aimed at, of course, helping the Iraqis stand up and do the hard work necessary," he said. "In the meantime, making sure that when the enemy was cleaned out of neighborhoods, there was somebody there to provide security for the folks."
Bush also said the surge was not merely more combat soldiers. "We surged diplomats and public service officials, provincial reconstruction teams to make sure that in neighborhoods where an enemy had been routed ... there was also an opportunity to improve life for the average citizen," he said.
The security situation is improving, reconciliation is taking place at the local level and the Iraqi people want to live in peace, "and one way you do that is you put this horrible past as best you can behind you, and look forward," he said.
On Afghanistan, Bush said that the nation is working on democracy.
"It's hard work. It's not easy. It doesn't happen overnight. But it's in our interest to help them," he said. "It's in our interest to help them because we believe that liberty is transformative."
The full text of President Bush's remarks may be obtained from the White House Web site.
