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[FONT="courier new]PUBLIC ADDRESS, THE MALL, WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
09:30 AM EST, OCTOBER 31, 2007[/font]
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President Bush walks up to the podium and takes up position behind it, setting a speech on its surface.
The President waits for approximately ten seconds for things to quiet down before beginning.
Good evening. As I speak American soldiers are engaged in ongoing efforts to stabilize the security situation in Iraq and to curb growing sectarian violence with no less vigor, bravery, and determination than at any other point in the past four years.
Over that time remarkable achievements have been made. The removal of despot Saddam Hussein, and his subsequent trial by the people he so long oppressed, and the dispensing of justice for his crimes. The establishment of a democratic Iraqi government, and a voter turnout of over 60% in its first election in over 30 years.
However it is not possible to state that the situation in Iraq has resulted in an overwhelming completion of our stated goals. Our troops there have done the best that the American people could ever ask of them, and have repeatedly performed above and beyond the call of duty in a situation extraordinary to human experience. That does not change the fact of the matter that mistakes have been made, and certain goals have not been achieved. This is through no fault of our young fighting men and women; all responsibility for these mistakes ultimately lies with me.
The President glances downwards at his speech before resuming.
The refusal of the Iraqi government to support a troop increase, and as a result to allow the American military the unrestricted use of all methods at its disposal in order to end sectarian violence in Iraq, has ultimately caused irreparable harm to the effort of the United States in that nation. The government of Iraq has made it clear, both through votes within the Arab League and in private communications with this government that it unwilling to support the presence of any American forces for longer than two years. It is uninterested in permanent American support, and uninterested in American proposals to reduce the violence.
As I stated to in January when I first announced my proposal for a troop increase, which has been delayed as a result of this indecision, I stated that the failure of the Iraqi government to follow through on its promises would result in the loss of support from the American people. I also stated that a failure to meet certain benchmarks would constitute a failure of purpose. Those benchmarks have not been met, and support has wavered.
In that same address, I warned of the dangers of leaving Iraq, and of what would occur should American forces withdraw prematurely. I still hold to those convictions. However it must be recognized that help and assistance is not a one-way street. It is a bilateral process. One cannot help those who are unwilling to help themselves.
Tomorrow will mark the official turnover point of all security duties within Iraq to Iraqi forces in accordance with the policy announced in January. I therefore feel it prudent in light of the unwillingness of the Iraqi government to continue to allow American assistance to announce that effective tomorrow I will begin ordering the gradual withdrawal of troops from Iraq to be continued over the next six months, to conclude in May of 2008.
The reversal in the Iraqi government's policy with regard to American support and its insistence on the ultimate withdrawal of all American forces leaves my Cabinet and I unwilling to lay down more American lives for a purpose in which our presence is effectively unwanted. We cannot accept this. We cannot expect the American people to accept this.
The President clears his throat
In the intervening time American forces will do their utmost to assist their Iraqi counterparts in continuing to eliminate key insurgent strongholds and leaders as they have over the course of the past year.
It is my sincerest hope that the Iraqi government will continue to cherish the newfound democracy which it has gained through so much bloodshed and pain, and should Iraq require assistance in the future we hope it will look toward the United States as a friend and ally upon whom it can rely. But neither the American people nor the American government will tolerate an arbitrary restriction upon our capacity to achieve victory and to continue to sacrifice our bright young men and women for an unwilling nation. I--
A commotion in the crowd. The President glances towards the source but continues on with but a momentary pause.
I hope that our--
The commotion grows louder, shouting can be heard, the cameras pan slightly to reveal a lone man running toward the podium through the crowd.
The President stops his speech and is now visibly watching the action.
Secret Service can be seen running toward the podium from either side just behind the President.
The shouting gets louder.
One voice can be heard above the others, shouting "Allahu Ackbar!"
Several single shots ring out, followed by the staccato burst of submachine guns firing.
The crowd erupts into panic and shouting.