THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week in Iraq, our coalition
forces have faced challenges, and taken the fight to the enemy. And our
offensive will continue in the weeks ahead.
As the June 30th date for Iraqi sovereignty draws near, a small
faction is attempting to derail Iraqi democracy and seize power. In
some cities, Saddam supporters and terrorists have struck against
coalition forces. In other areas, attacks were incited by a radical
named Muqtada-al-Sadr, who is wanted for the murder of a respected
Shiite cleric. Al-Sadr has called for violence against coalition
troops, and his band of thugs have terrorized Iraqi police and ordinary
citizens.
Coalition forces are conducting a multi-city offensive. In
Fallujah, Marines of Operation Vigilant Resolve are taking control of
the city, block by block. Further south, troops of Operation Resolute
Sword have taken the initiative from al-Sadr's militia. Our coalition's
quick reaction forces are finding and engaging the enemy. Prisoners are
being taken, and intelligence is being gathered. Our decisive actions
will continue until these enemies of democracy are dealt with.
Some have suggested that we should respond to the recent attacks by
delaying Iraqi sovereignty. This is precisely what our enemies want.
They want to dictate the course of events in Iraq and to prevent the
Iraqi people from having a true voice in their future. They want
America and our coalition to falter in our commitments before a
watching world. In these ambitions, the enemies of freedom will fail.
Iraqi sovereignty will arrive on June 30th.
In March, the Iraqi Governing Council signed a document that
protects the rights of the Iraqi people, offers the timetable for
elections, and paves the way for a permanent constitution. At this
moment, United Nations Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is conducting
intensive consultations with a wide range of Iraqis on the structure of
the interim government that will assume control on July the 1st. We
welcome this U.N. engagement.
The transition to sovereignty will mark the beginning of a new
government, and the end of the coalition's administrative duties. But
the coalition's commitment to Iraq will continue. We will establish a
new American embassy to protect our nation's interests. We will
continue helping the Iraqi people reconstruct their economy, undermined
by decades of dictatorship and corruption. And our coalition forces
will remain committed to the security of Iraq.
Iraq's elections for a permanent government are scheduled to be
held near the end of 2005, and the elected government can count on
coalition assistance. We will stand with the Iraqi people as long as
necessary, to ensure that their young democracy is stable and secure
and successful.
As we have done before, America is fighting on the side of liberty
-- liberty in Iraq, and liberty in the Middle East. This objective
serves the interests of that region, of the United States and of all
freedom-loving countries. As the greater Middle East increasingly
becomes a place where freedom flourishes, the lives of millions in that
region will be bettered, and the American people and the entire world
will be more secure.
From the first days of the war on terror, I said our nation would
face periods of struggle and testing. As the June 30th transition
approaches, we will continue to see a test of wills between the enemies
of freedom and its defenders. We will win this test of wills, and
overcome every challenge, because the cause of freedom and security is
worth our struggle.
This weekend, many of the men and women who serve that cause in
uniform will celebrate Easter and Passover far from home. In this
season that celebrates hope and freedom, our nation remembers in prayer
the good and the brave people of our military. They are the best of
America, and America is firmly behind them.