Truespeak

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In this battle, we have fought for the cause of liberty, and for the peace of the world. Our nation and our coalition are proud of this accomplishment -- yet, it is you, the members of the United States military, who achieved it. Your courage, your willingness to face danger for your country and for each other, made this day possible. Because of you, our nation is more secure. Because of you, the tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free. (Applause.)

Operation Iraqi Freedom was carried out with a combination of precision and speed and boldness the enemy did not expect, and the world had not seen before. From distant bases or ships at sea, we sent planes and missiles that could destroy an enemy division, or strike a single bunker. Marines and soldiers charged to Baghdad across 350 miles of hostile ground, in one of the swiftest advances of heavy arms in history. You have shown the world the skill and the might of the American Armed Forces.

This nation thanks all the members of our coalition who joined in a noble cause. We thank the Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland, who shared in the hardships of war. We thank all the citizens of Iraq who welcomed our troops and joined in the liberation of their own country. And tonight, I have a special word for Secretary Rumsfeld, for General Franks, and for all the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States: America is grateful for a job well done.


-May 1, 2003

 

...This Is Now

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A suicide bomber pretending to be a job seeker blew himself up Wednesday morning outside a police recruiting center in this Kurdish provincial capital, killing at least 60 Kurds, most of them prospective policemen, and wounding 150 others as insurgents pressed an effort to destabilize Iraq's infant democratic government.

A well-known terrorist group, Ansar al Sunna, which has been active in northern Iraq, took responsibility for the blast and said it was intended as retribution for the involvement of Kurdish troops fighting insurgents alongside American forces in flash points like Falluja and Mosul.

Near the recruiting center, blood was splattered over buildings, and pieces of flesh were strewn on the pavement, in trees and on top of damaged cars. Iraqi and American soldiers used plastic bags to collect the remains.


-May 4, 2005

I don't know what else to say. It just keeps coming. Terrorists have been attacking our country at a rate of once every ten years. They're attacking Iraq, a country the size of California, once every few hours. All this freedom must be horrifying.