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Distinguished governors and local Iraqi officials; General Bieniek; staff of the Embassy Regional Office in Hillah; ladies and gentlemen.
It is an honor to be in Hillah today to raise the American flag over this office. I cannot but think at this moment that we are in the “Cradle of Civilization,” the very place to which we trace our collective history.
It is here that our forebears learned to farm, to order their societies, and to begin the process that brought us the alphabet, science, mathematics, and the arts. It reminds us of our debt to those people who settled here 6,000 years ago and of the commonality of the human experience.
But this flag raising is much more than symbolic. It is a declaration of America’s commitment to support Iraq as you work to re-establish a free, prosperous, and democratic country. You, the people of Iraq, can count on our help, and that of the international community, most notably here in Hillah the Poles, but it is you who will determine your future.
The task is great, the challenges many. But time and again, from the first permanent settlers here in Mesopotamia to those Iraqis struggling today to build a new country, the residents of Hillah and the surrounding areas have proven their resilience. You have overcome many adversities and emerged from these travails stronger and more resourceful.
Now, you will need that strength and those resources to build the new Iraq. We and the other coalition partners will help and support you. But you must do it, and will.
Please raise the flag.
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