September 24, 2004

Listen to and/or watch the speech online at C-Span.org.
President Allawi's speech is a bit hard to understand in places, but for all that, his English very good and there's something endearing about his accent. I like him a lot and feel that Iraq is in good hands.
Allawi: 'Thank You, America'

Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi had one big message to deliver from his people to the people of the United States: "Thank you, America."
[...]
Allawi, a 59-year-old trained neurologist who lived for years in exile from Saddam Hussein and has survived numerous assassination attempts, said democracy is beginning to flourish in parts of Iraq, and that the growing insurgent attacks do not mean that the guerrillas are gaining the upper hand, but rather that they are becoming more desperate.
[...]
Allawi also stressed the need for the international community, despite the terrorist violence against coalition partners in Iraq, to stand its ground in its mission there and to not negotiate with the killers.

"I know the pain this has caused, I know it's difficult, but the coalition must stand firm," he said, receiving a standing ovation. "When governments negotiate with terrorists, everyone in the free world suffers … working together, we will defeat the killers and we will do this while refusing to bargain with our most fundamental principles."
[Couldn't put it any better, Dr. Allawi!--Jen]
[...]
For the first time in history, the Iraqi people can look forward to controlling our own destiny. This would not have been possible without the help and sacrifices of this country and its coalition partners. I thank you again from the bottom of my heart," Allawi said.

"Neither tyranny nor terrorism has a place in our region or our world. That is why we Iraqis will stand by you, America ... in the global battle for freedom."
[...]
"Every day we grow in strength and determination to defeat the terrorists and their barbarism," Allawi said, referring to the beheadings this week of two Americans.

"As we mourn these losses, we must not forget the progress we are making … we are fighting for freedom and democracy, ours and yours."
[...]
"These killers may be just a tiny fraction of our 27 million population, but with their guns and their suicide bombs, to intimidate and frighten the people of Iraq — I can tell you today, they will not succeed," he added. "These murderers have no political program or cause other than to push our country back to tyranny."

Allawi says it all right here, however:

"My friends, today we are better off, you are better off and the world is better off, without Saddam Hussein," Allawi said. "Your decision to go into Iraq was not an easy one, but it was the right one."

Can anyone doubt it? (except the French and the Democrats, who have and will.)
I was very moved by this man's address and by the moment at the end, when he went out to be greeted by the audience and publicly embraced both Sen. Joe Lieberman and Paul Wolfowitz (whom he kissed on both cheeks! Fancy! Both Jews!).

Here's the link to the video and transcript of the press conference that PM Allawi and President Bush had with the presstitutes of the DNC at the White House later that afternoon after Allawi met with the President in the Oval Office:
President Bush and Prime Minister Allawi Press Conference
Check out this little nugget from what Allawi had to say:

[...]
Here, Iraqis are getting on with their daily lives, hungry for the new political and economic freedoms they are enjoying. Although, this is not what you see in your media, it is a fact.

The Media have a lot to answer for, not the least of which is the "reporting" they've done on the war in Iraq--dwelling on the bad news and simply ignoring the good things.
(They learned from Uncle Walter Cronkite, who called our decisive victory over the VC Tet Offensive in Vietnam a "massive defeat," that the way you report a war can lose it at home and they're still at it, right up until....What time is it? NOW.)
Later, when President Bush called on the members of the 4th Estate/5th Column for questions, he specifically asked for the reporter from CBS.
I've never heard him do this before--I wonder why he did it now...?
Hmmm.
The world is full of amazing sights these days and one of them for me has to be that of the Iraq flag, which we saw so many times behind Saddam making a new threat against America, being flown side by side with the Stars and Stripes at the White House.
All in all, it was another good day for the U.S.A. and for Iraq!
And John sKerry can just go pound sand or wind or whatever it is that wealthy Boston gigolos do, better that than give a nasty little press conference of his own as he seemingly felt compelled to do yesterday.
The Wall Street Journal takes him to task for it thusly:
[...]

Mr. Kerry, for one, must not have been listening too carefully to those remarks, given his ungracious reaction to Mr. Allawi's speech. The Senator accused the Prime Minister of "contradicting his own statement[s]" and of putting the "best face" on the situation.

While Mr. Kerry has every right to criticize U.S. conduct of the war, one would think he'd be wiser than to attack Mr. Allawi for saying it will be possible to hold the same elections that Mr. Kerry said just this Monday were his own exit strategy from Iraq. Or to accuse Iraq's Prime Minister of painting an unrealistic picture about a country the Senator has never visited. Having described the U.S. allies who liberated Iraq as a "coalition of the bribed," Mr. Kerry now insults the Iraqis he'd be working with if he becomes President.

Not to mention the lack of courtesy and good manners to even attend PM Allawi's speech as a member of the Senate.
(Does Kerry ever show up in the Senate for anything?)
Should America have the ill fortune to have Kerry as president--God forbid it, I beg you!--he'd have to work with PM Allawi, even if it's only to pull our troops out of the "quagmire" of Iraq.
Speaking of lack of manners and common courtesy, I thought more than quite a few Dimocrats in the Congressional audience acted rudely during Allawi's speech, as if praising and being interested in anything or anyone that has come to the fore during Bush's Administration just wasn't going to happen.
This man was a grateful, gracious guest in our country and this is the way you treat him!
For shame.