Wishful thinking is one thing, and reality another.


Conciliation is not capitulation, nor is compromise to be deemed equivalent to imbalanced concession.

This will be Iraq for all without discrimination among Iraqi citizens, or ethnic or sectarian discrimination.


As president of Iraq, I shall strive to represent the diversity of a country that has too often in the past denied difference.

Democracies, unlike dictatorships, are forgiving and generous, but they cannot survive unless they fight.

Justice for the major perpetrators cannot be separated from the vindication of the rights of the individual victim.

Military confrontation is not a suitable alternative in confronting terror and current security threats.

My door will always be open to those who genuinely renounce violence and seek peaceful accommodation into our nascent democracy.

Our gratitude to the American people is immense and we should never be embarrassed to express it.

Our plan is to struggle against terrorism and have security for the country and help draft a democratic constitution as soon as possible.

Self-determination could mean independence, confederacy, federal and autonomy.