But the government is stronger than ever. Our armed forces is getting much better than before in number, in quality, in operations. They are leading operations now. In 204 (sic/2004), it was MNF leading the operations. The Iraqi army is doing a good job in Baghdad, as Secretary Rumsfeld said.
All the reports we had says now for five weeks there is a trend for decreasing violence.
There is a lot of work to be done with our neighboring countries, on the international level, with the United States here. And there is a lot of work to be done also on investment, on reconstruction, which is necessary. We have stable areas in Iraq. Seventy percent of Iraq is in a stable situation, secured one. So reconstruction works should be done there. This will enforce security also.
So we are fully optimistic of our future. The Iraqi people think that there is no other issue but victory in Iraq. The Iraqi people can't leave the country. There is no withdrawal for the Iraqi people. The MNF are supporting the Iraqi people and will continue to support and have the sympathy of Iraqis.
So we are really very grateful, Secretary Rumsfeld, for all your efforts, all your assistance to Iraq and the Iraqi people. We shed blood together in this battle, and we'll continue our work together.
Thank you.
We don't need to beat the insurgents. We have provided a shield behind which the Iraqis have formed a government, army, police force, and other security organs. Despite Baathists, Sunni fanatics, imported jihadis, and Iranian pawns, we have provided that shield. We lost time in the first year by training the wrong type of security force (and training them poorly) but we have learned and adapted.
We don't need to stay long enough to completely beat the Sunnis and foreign jihadis--we will have an allied government to do it for us. Remember, the Shias can't get tired and go home. If they lose, they die. And with 60% of the population and another 20% of the population as Kurdish allies, the Iraqi government really can't lose. The only question is whether the government exterminates or ethnically cleanses the Sunnis out of Iraq.
Mind you, I want to win this in a way that promotes democracy, but even if that fails we've accomplished much just by ending a hostile minority government that murdered the majority and threatened the entire region. Indeed, I think we can still get our maximum objective despite the difficulties we've faced. They are not unique to war and as long as we adapt and persist, we will win.
I don't understand the pessimism of many war supporters. Is it such a surprise that our enemies want to win and won't just surrender? Consider our success. We've created an ally in the war on jihadi terrorists who will fight and win the battle inside Iraq after we leave to fight the war elsewhere. Given the failure of most of our traditional allies to really commit themselves to the war, isn't creating new allies the next best thing to fighting on our own?
Hold the line people. Running never wins a war.
