Rumsfeld Thanks Iraqi Police Recruits in Baghdad

 

Tuesday  February 24, 2004

Says their service will inspire pride and gratitude from fellow Iraqis

U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld praised Iraqi police academy recruits for volunteering to serve their country, saying their fellow citizens will feel proud of them and their country as the benefits of a new Iraq are realized.

Rumsfeld, visiting the Baghdad Police Academy on February 23, told the recruits, "I know that you're all volunteers. Each of you have raised your hand and said you want to help your country."

In the distant future, he said, Iraqis will look back at the police during the current period "and know in their hearts that what you've done is to help build a new Iraq, an Iraq that's free, an Iraq that's whole, an Iraq that's at peace, an Iraq that is a friend to its neighbors."

Rumsfeld also thanked the academy instructors, many of whom came from countries making up the Coalition Provisional Authority.

"They've come halfway around the world to be here with you and to work with you and I appreciate it and the American people appreciate it," he said.

Following is the transcript of Rumsfeld's remarks at the police academy:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of Defense News Briefing
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
Monday, February 23, 2004

(Secretary Rumsfeld Remarks at the Baghdad Police Academy)

Rumsfeld: I don't know if in Iraq they use this phrase but the phrase I'd like to start with is, "At ease." (Laughter.)

All right. Now we can get at it. (Applause.)

First I'd like to hear what you think of your instructors. Do you give them an A or a B or a C or a D? Let's hear it for A. (Cheers, A's and applause.)

I'm here to say thank you to your instructors as well, and God bless them. We appreciate what they do. They've come halfway around the world to be here with you and to work with you and I appreciate it and the American people appreciate it. And I must say that the coalition countries who are participating in the training of police in this country and in other countries, I see some of them standing here, you can hardly not see this one standing here. (Laughter.) We thank them as well.

Now I'm told that gathered here in this courtyard are the graduates who will be graduating on March 4th I think I was told, in a week or two, so I want to say congratulations to you in advance. I know that you're all volunteers. Each of you have raised your hand and said you want to help your country. Each of you recognized (Inaudible.) against Iraq. In 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, people will look back, Iraqis will look back, and they'll look back on this period and they'll look back on each of you and know in their hearts that what you've done is to help build a new Iraq, an Iraq that's free, an Iraq that's whole, an Iraq that's at peace, an Iraq that is a friend to its neighbors, and that you, each of you, and you'll be able to tell your children that you were a part of that. And as they benefit from this new country and its success, they'll feel pride in you and pride in their country.

Thanks to each of you. I wish you all well.

(Applause and loud cheers.)

Voice: He is wishing them well. He says this is the new Iraq we want to live for, and everybody responded Amen.

Rumsfeld: I agree.

(Applause.)

[Web Version: http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2004/tr20040223-secdef0487.html]

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(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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