Embassy News
Remarks by Ambassador Ryan Crocker: United and Strong III
COB Speicher, Tikrit, Iraq
March 5, 2008
As Delivered to the conference of northern governors, sponsored by MND-North -- Maj. Gen. John Hertling commanding, attended by Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih.
Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, Governors, National Security Chiefs, and Provincial Council Presidents.
This was an important meeting today on a number of levels. The Deputy Prime Minister observed at the beginning that the United States and the Coalition were a strong partner in Iraq and that Iraq was not facing the challenges of the current period alone just as it did not face the challenges of the past few years alone.
That is very true. And this partnership will continue, God willing, far into the future. The nature will change and is changing. In the past few years, as many of you know, the United States has spent more than $20 billion dollars on major infrastructure projects. We are continuing with financial assistance both from the U.S. military and from the civilian side of the government. But it’s of a different type.
The main effort for assistance now is to help you, the representatives of the Iraqi people, execute projects, provide services, to provide a better life for the people of Iraq. And that’s clearly what the focus has been today. As the Deputy Prime Minister said, this is the year of reconstruction, it’s the year of services, and it’s the year of combating corruption. Last year was the year of security. Your forces and ours working together have made Iraq a far safer and better place.
Now the challenge is for the Iraqi government at all levels: federal, provincial, and local to consolidate those security gains to make them permanent through the provision of services, of jobs, of all the things that give Iraqi people everywhere a stake in this new democracy. Your forces and ours have paid the price for these security gains through the blood of hundreds and hundreds of brave men and women that died to give all Iraqis this. So it is in their names and in their memories that we all have an obligation to carry this country forward to a place of sustainable security, stability, and prosperity. And once again as you, the representatives of the federal and provincial governments, coordinate your efforts to this end I can assure you as is the case since 2003 you have a strong and committed partner in the United States of America and in the Coalition.
Thank you very much.