Bush optimistic on Iraqi constitution
Iraq-USA, Politics, 8/24/2005

US President George W. Bush expected that the Iraqi constitution will be a source of change in the Middle East, noting that the Iraqis are working to reach a settlement concerning it.

He considered that the drafting of the constitution "after years of dictatorships is not an easy job," repeating what was said by his secretary of state Condaleezza Rice that "greater number of the Sunni started to accept the constitution, step by step."

Bush repeated his rejection to withdraw the American forces from Iraq, noting that this will be a grave mistake and will create a policy that will weaken the USA. In a direct comment on the activity of the American woman Cindy Sheehan whose son was killed in Iraq, and has been protesting to meet the president about that, he said he will not meet with her and that he had sent two of his advisors to meet with her. He considered that Sheehan, who has received media interest in her story, is promoting a policy that weakens the US position. He indicated that Sheehan's position does not represent the position of most of the families of the American soldiers existed in Iraq.

Bush was asked "the Sunni negotiator yesterday for the constitution said that if they do pass the constitution tomorrow, that it would cause an insurgency amongst the Sunnis.Ê What would America do if the Sunnis did rise up and have an insurgency?"

Bush responded "you're speaking about one voice.Ê There is more than one Sunni involved in the process.Ê Reaching an accord on a constitution, after years of dictatorship, is not easy.Ê And so you're seeing people express their opinion.Ê I don't know if this is a negotiating position by the fellow or not.Ê I'm not on the ground, I didn't hear him.

"But I will tell you I spoke with Secretary Rice twice this morning, who has been in touch with our ambassador on the ground.Ê And she is hopeful that more and more Sunnis will accept the constitution.Ê Again, I repeat to you that we're watching an amazing event unfold, and that is the writing of a constitution which guarantees minority rights, women's rights, freedom to worship, in a part of the world that had only -- in a country that had only known dictatorship.Ê And so you're seeing people express their opinions and talking about a political process.

"And the way forward in Iraq is for there to be a two-track strategy.Ê One, on the one hand, there's politics. ÊIt wasn't all that long ago, but it seems like a long time ago, I guess, for some, that the Iraqi people expressed their interest in democracy.Ê Eight million people voted.Ê They said, we want to be free.Ê They went to the polls, said, give us a chance to vote, and we will, and they did.Ê In other words, they have made their intentions known that they want to have a free society.Ê And now they're writing a constitution.

"The next step after the constitution will be the ratification of the constitution, and then the election of a permanent government.Ê In other words, democracy is unfolding.Ê And the reason why that's important is, is that we've had a -- we had a policy that just said, let the dictator stay there, don't worry about it.Ê And as a result of dictatorship, and as a result of tyranny, resentment, hopelessness began to develop in that part of the world, which became the -- gave the terrorists capacity to recruit.Ê We just cannot tolerate the status quo.Ê We're at war.Ê And so this is a hopeful moment.

"And you talk about Sunnis rising up.Ê I mean, the Sunnis have got to make a choice -- do they want to live in a society that's free, or do they want to live in violence.Ê And I suspect most mothers, no matter what their religion may be, will choose a free society, so that their children can grow up in a peaceful world.

"Anyway, I'm optimistic about what's taking place.Ê I'm also optimistic about the fact that more and more Iraqis are able to take the fight to the enemy.Ê And as I'll remind the good folks of Idaho, our strategy can be summed up this way:Ê As the Iraqis stand up, Americans will stand down.Ê And what that means is, as more and more Iraqis take the fight to the few who want to disrupt the dreams of the many, that the American troops will be able to pull back.Ê We're still going to be training Iraqis; we'll still be working with Iraqis.Ê But more and more Iraqis will be in the fight."

Previous Stories:
  Iraqis constitution shows democratic process   (8/23/2005)
  Tareq Aziz meets family: I am not concerned about trial   (8/22/2005)
  Arab Sunnis demand pressure for a united Iraq   (8/22/2005)
  International Herald Tribune: Iraq's effect on US internal elections politics   (8/20/2005)
  Rumsfeld: Iraqi constitutional process will succeed   (8/18/2005)
  Khalilzad: federalism, resources sharing not resolved yet in Iraqi constitution   (8/17/2005)

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