George H.W. Bush

This man knows how to lead. And he did. And the country is better off for it.

I've heard some ideas that would lead to defeat, and I reject those ideas. Ideas such as leaving before the job is done.

If the American troops leave Iraq, the Saudis might -- they say might -- throw their support behind the Sunni insurgency.

But I'm the decider.

In spite of his grief and in spite of pain in his heart, he is willing to work for a united Iraq and a peaceful Iraq.

I appreciate the advice I got from those folks in the field. And that advice is an important part and an important component of putting together a new way forward in Iraq.

I have told the members that this report, called 'the Way Forward,' is -- will be taken very seriously by this administration.

Not only do I know how important it is to prevail. I believe we will prevail.

It's bad in Iraq. Does that help?

I do know that we have not succeeded as fast as we wanted to succeed. I -- I do understand that progress is not as rapid as I had hoped.

But I'm the decider. And I decide what is best.

So it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of Democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.

I will not wait for events while dangers gather.

This report will give us all an opportunity to find common ground for the good of the country.

States like these and their terrorist allies constitute an axis of evil.

When you saw the president in Jordan basically dismiss the idea of any kind of pullout, do you think he really means that, or is that just politics?

George Bush was talking about keeping Rumsfeld, wanting Rumsfeld to stay on the end, when we know he was already interviewing a replacement for him.

We'll be in Iraq until the job is complete. At the request of a sovereign government elected by the people.

The killers taking innocent life is in some cases sectarian. I happen to view it as criminal as well as sectarian. I think any time you murder somebody, you're a criminal.

He's a right guy for Iraq. And we're going to help him. And it's in our interest to help him. For the sake of peace.

The prime minister and I agree that the outcome in Iraq will affect the entire region. To stop the extremists from dominating the Middle East, we must stop the extremists from achieving their goal of dominating Iraq.

I know there's a lot of speculation that these reports in Washington mean there's going to be some kind of graceful exit. In my judgment, if we were to leave before the job is done, it would only embolden terrorists.

He's the right guy for Iraq. And we're going to help him. And it's in our interest to help him. For the sake of peace.

We're going to stay in Iraq to get the job done, so long as the government wants us there.

There's one thing I'm not going to do. I'm not going to pull our troops off the battlefield before the mission is complete.