The White House
President George W. Bush
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 20, 2007

Fact Sheet: Update on the New Iraq Strategy
Helping Iraq's Leaders Secure Their Population

      President Bush Discusses Global War on Terror

Today, President Bush Updated The American People On His New Iraq Strategy. In January, President Bush and his Administration concluded an extensive review of the situation in Iraq and made major changes to our strategy in Iraq. The President described how this new campaign is unfolding in Baghdad, Anbar Province, and the outskirts of Baghdad where terrorists and extremists are making a stand.

The Most Significant Element Of Our New Strategy Is Being Carried Out In Baghdad

Baghdad Was The Site Of Most Of The Sectarian Violence In Iraq And Is The Destination For Most Of Our Reinforcements. Three additional American brigades have reached the Iraqi capital, while another is in Kuwait preparing to deploy to Iraq and one more will arrive next month.

U.S. And Iraqi Security Forces Are Carrying Out The New Strategy In Anbar Province

While Anbar Province Is Still Not Safe, Significant Progress Is Occurring. For much of the past four years, insurgents and al Qaeda members terrorized the local population through a ruthless campaign of violence. Now the situation has begun to change:

As Al Qaeda Responds To These Changes With Sickening Brutality, Local Sunnis Are Refusing To Be Intimidated And Are Stepping Forward To Drive Out The Terrorists.

We Are Adjusting To Conditions In Other Areas Of Iraq.

We Are Cracking Down On Extremists Gathering In Other Parts Of Iraq.

Our Enemies Are Fighting Back As American And Iraqi Forces Fight To Clear And Hold Territory The Enemy Considers Its Own, But Our Operations Are Having An Important Impact. As violence increases in these areas, American and Iraqi operations are:

We Are Working With Iraqis To Make Political And Economic Progress

As We Increase Our Troop Levels, We Are Also Increasing Our Civilian Presence. We are doubling the number of Provincial Reconstruction Teams that help restore basic services, stimulate job creation, and promote reconciliation.

Military Operations Are Beginning To Open Up Breathing Space For Political Progress. Iraq's leaders must take advantage of this space to make further political progress. America’s patience is not unlimited, but we understand that the Iraqi government is working hard in an extremely difficult environment.

Iraq’s Government Is Beginning To Follow Through On Securing The Free And Democratic Future That Nearly Twelve Million Iraqis Voted For.

Giving Up In Iraq Would Have Consequences Far Beyond Iraq’s Borders. It is natural to wish there was an easy way out, yet in Iraq the easy road would be disastrous since Iraq is a battlefront in a much broader struggle. We cannot allow terrorists to gain a safe haven overseas like they had in Afghanistan during the 1990s, especially in a land with vast oil resources that terrorists could use to fund their ambitions.

Withdrawal Is Not A Strategy. Withdrawal would do nothing to prevent violence from spilling out across the country and plunging Iraq into chaos and anarchy. If anything, it would make that more likely.

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