The completion of the national unity government Thursday in Iraq marks the starting point for repaying Iraqis' commitment to and thirst for democracy. We are at this juncture thanks to the bravery of the soldiers, police and citizens who have paid the highest price to give Iraq its freedom. Our national unity government will honor these sacrifices by pursuing an uncompromising agenda to deliver security and services to the Iraqi people and to combat rampant corruption.
This government will build on the additional momentum gained from the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in order to defeat terrorism and sectarianism and to deliver on the Iraqi people's hope of a united, stable and prosperous democracy by following a three-pronged strategy[.]
Will he and his elected government succeed in getting Iraqis to rally around the flag to kill the remaining foreign jihadis and push the soft supporters of the Baathists and home-grown jihadis toward neutrality or the government's side? And push the neutrals to support the government, too. It is all a slow process of pushing people away from the jihadis and insurgents, and toward the government.
