16 July 2008
United States Reducing Presence in Iraq, Bush Says
Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Sudan top White House press conference
Washington --– The United States and Iraq share the goal of improving security and strengthening Iraq’s fledgling democracy to the point where U.S.-led coalition forces can leave the country, President Bush says.
“Return on success has been the strategy of this administration. And our troops are coming home,” Bush said in a July 15 press conference.
Bush’s remarks follow the July 10 departure of the last of five U.S. brigades deployed as part of this year’s surge strategy, leaving approximately 140,000 coalition forces in Iraq -- only 8,000 more than at the beginning of the year.
With the coalition’s U.N. mandate set to expire at the end of the year, the United States and Iraq are looking to redefine the future of the relationship with a Strategic Framework Agreement outlining cooperation on political, economic and security issues. They are also negotiating a Status of Forces Agreement to set the ground rules for how U.S. troops will operate in Iraq after the U.N. mandate expires.
NEW SURGE IN AFGHANISTAN UNDER WAY
Meanwhile, a new surge is under way in Afghanistan, Bush said. The United States and 39 other nations making up the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force are facing a tough fight against Taliban and al-Qaida militants, who have established safe havens along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, threatening Afghan efforts to rebuild their country after decades of war.
“It's a little bit reminiscent of what was taking place in Iraq a couple of years ago,” he said.
The United States has committed additional U.S. forces. They have been joined by a new French deployment pledged at NATO’s 2008 Bucharest Summit. The counterinsurgency efforts, Bush said, also include continued international commitments to help Afghans build an effective democratic government that can deliver essential services and create new economic opportunities. (See “Afghan Determination Earns $20 Billion in New Aid.”)
Bush added that he was troubled by the flow of extremists into Afghanistan from safe havens in Pakistan, making cross-border security cooperation a top issue when he welcomes recently elected Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to the White House July 28. (See “United States Seeks Long-Term Partnership with Pakistan.”)
“Pakistan is an ally. Pakistan is a friend,” Bush said. “All three countries -- the United States, Pakistan and Afghanistan -- share a common enemy.”
ZIMBABWE SITUATION “UNACCEPTABLE,” BUSH SAYS
But the international community’s resolve in Afghanistan stands in stark contrast to the decision by Russia and China to block U.N. Security Council sanctions on Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe amid the country’s continuing political and humanitarian crisis, Bush said. “It's frankly unacceptable, and it should be unacceptable to a lot of folks.”
More than 100 opposition supporters have been killed in Zimbabwe in recent months, according to media sources. Dozens more remain missing and 1,500 have been imprisoned.
Leaders at the recent G8 Summit in Toyako, Japan -- including Russian President Dmitry Medvedev -- expressed their opposition to the Zimbabwean leadership’s campaign of political violence in the lead-up to and aftermath of what Bush has called a “sham election” June 27. (See “G8, African Leaders Discuss Zimbabwe.”)
Bush vowed to continue diplomatic efforts on behalf of the Zimbabwean people. He has directed the State Department and the Treasury to begin developing a U.S. sanctions program targeting the top tier of President Robert Mugabe’s regime.
DARFUR NEEDS PEACEKEEPERS
Equally unacceptable, Bush said, is the continuing plight of Sudan’s Darfur region, where the United Nations estimates more than 200,000 people have been killed and over 2 million more have been displaced by what Bush has called “genocide” undertaken by government-backed militias. (See “U.S. Wants Accountability for Perpetrators of Darfur Genocide.”)
“We're trying to work with the rebel groups so that they speak more with one voice,” Bush said. “We're trying to work with [Sudanese President Omar El-] Bashir to make sure he understands that there will be continued sanctions if he doesn't move forward.”
Bush declined to comment on the International Criminal Court’s decision to charge the Sudanese leader with genocide, but he said Darfur was on the minds of G8 leaders in Toyako and that more progress was needed on the deployment of a hybrid U.N.-African Union peacekeeping force to Darfur. “The United Nations needs to work with this current government to get those troops in to help save lives,” Bush said.
Bush’s remarks are available on America.gov.
