I assured them that the United States believes strongly that the Iraqi constitution should provide equal rights before the law for all Iraqis regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion or sect, … There can be...

I would not like to elaborate … I think they should understand what I mean.

That will bring down the total level from 17 brigades to 15.

Iraq will succeed. It will take longer if the neighbors play an unhelpful role, … It can happen at a faster pace if the neighbors play a positive role.

Iraq’s political parties and their leaders must come together to reinforce their commitment to democratic principles and national unity.

I believe strongly that you cannot defeat the insurgency through military means alone.

Iraq is such an important place in the world. What happens in Iraq will determine and shape the future of the Middle East, … Being away on a day like this is a huge sacrifice,...

What we’ve seen in the past two days, the attack has had a major impact here, getting everyone’s attention that Iraq is in danger.

The security ministries have to be run by people who are not associated with militias and who are not regarded as sectarian. The issue is how forces that we’re investing a huge amount of money...

We’re going to press very hard for this.

He can stand beside me and give his opinion, and he is not intimidated.

The neighbors can make it harder. It can take longer. But success is inevitable. This country has the resources to become a very rich and powerful country. It behooves the neighbors of Iraq to help.

The militias are an issue that the next government will have to deal with. Iraq needs a strong national army, a strong national police. It needs weapons in the hands of those who are authorized...

I congratulate the Iraqi people on having arrived at this historic moment. The U.S. is proud of the role we have played in helping Iraqis achieve this success.

We don’t want war with Iraq. We want Saddam to comply with U.N. resolutions and we want freedom and liberty for the Iraqi people,

They are making great progress. They have reached agreement on almost all of the key issues. There is one or two issues left. They are working very hard. They tell me they are optimistic, but...

It is a moment of danger but also a moment of opportunity.

Iran is a very complicated player, an influential player seeking regional pre- eminence. Iraq is very important to it, and it is using a variety of means that, to you and I, would look very...

We have opened the Pandora’s box and the question is, what is the way forward? If another incident (occurs), Iraq is really vulnerable.

We are investing a great deal of resources in the police and army. Those forces will not be regarded as credible forces if run by a minister who is sectarian or has ties to militias....

Since no single party will have a majority there will be a need for a very broad-based coalition.

I have discussed the issue with the interior minister. She clearly is in a dangerous situation, but we’re working hard with the Iraqis and others to get her released.

I do believe it’s possible that we could adjust our forces, downsizing them in the course of next year,

Things are getting better. The Iraqis came to the brink of civil war as a result of the attack on the shrine … The Iraqi leadership came together and rose to the occasion and that’s...

The draft constitution has moved in the right direction and is moving toward becoming the national compact Iraq needs.

This not only opens the door for insurgents to permanently renounce violence and join the political process in order to stabilize Iraq, it also isolates the terrorists who are the enemy of all Iraqis, while...

Today marks another momentous step in the building of a new Iraq, … will help pave the path to a democratic and independent Iraq, based on the rule of law.

I think American impatience has to do with the notion that we don’t know what we’re doing. If we could project that we are moving in the right direction, Americans are ready to be very...

We are trying to urge the politicians to quickly hold the parliament session.

Now several groups of them support the constitution, are voting for it,

We are doing all that we can to help bring about a release and will persist with that.

Our patience is running out, the patience of Iraqis [is] . . . running out. The time for decision . . . has arrived for Damascus,

This is a critical moment for Iraq. We call on all Iraqis to unite against terror and violence. Coming together in unity to condemn this barbaric act, and working for Iraq’s salvation will be the...

In order for Iraq to succeed, there has to be cross-ethnic and cross-sectarian cooperation.

At this point the determination is to meet the August 15 deadline.

Weapons and people coming across the border to undermine Iraq must be stopped, and we’re working with the Iraqis, including the prime minister (Ibrahim Jaafari), to make this message clear to the Iranians,

I believe that they’re on the wrong side of history ? that the people of Iraq are moving away from them, including the Sunni community. They will ultimately be defeated. The question is not whether,...

He said that based on the information that he has, that she is alive and that they have information with regard to where she might be held.

I’ve been authorized by the president to engage the Iranians as I engaged them in Afghanistan directly. There will be meetings, and that’s also a departure and an adjustment [to US policy).

You can’t have someone who is regarded as sectarian as the minister of interior.

The U.S. and Iraq will work together next year to shift Iraqi resources from unproductive subsidies to productive uses that enable Iraqis to earn livelihoods.

The reaction that’s needed by the Iraqis — they need to come together.

I think we would assume since these discussions are with regard to our concern with Iranian policies in Iraq that it (the talks) should be in Baghdad.

The draft constitution is one of the most progressive governing documents in the Muslim world, … in terms of its protection of rights of religious freedom and conscience.

We have opened the Pandora’s box.

I think the country came to the brink of civil war. (They) decided to come together and now the risk of civil war from this attack on the golden mosque is over.

Everything that needs to be done must be done to avoid a civil war, and I think they are keenly aware of the danger.

The national unity government will need to implement a program that brings all Iraqis together, builds a happy future for the people of Iraq, and gets Iraq to stand on its own feet.

will depend not only on our military strategy, but also on the political progress.

The draft constitution of Iraq is the most progressive document of the Muslim world.