[Assam] Could anyone alert the US President about the dying NATION OF ASSAM to help her?

[Bartta Bistar]

Remarks by President Bush at International Republican Institute Dinner as Prepared for Delivery
Wednesday May 18, 6:02 pm ET

 

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050518/dcw075.html?.v=5

WASHINGTON, May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a transcript of remarks by President Bush at International Republican Institute Dinner as prepared for delivery:

Thank you all for that warm welcome. And thank you, John, for that introduction. John McCain is a man of honor, integrity, and great personal courage -- and he is an outstanding chairman for the International Republican Institute. I am glad to see John's mother, Roberta, is here. If she's anything like my Mother, she is still telling John what to do ... and John is still listening.

I appreciate your president, Lorne Craner. He did a fantastic job in our Administration as Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor -- and he continues to do great work for the cause of freedom here at IRI.

I thank you for this fine award - and I am humbled to share it with a great champion of human freedom: Pope John Paul II. Everywhere he went, Pope John Paul preached that the call of freedom is for every member of the human family -- because the Author of Life wrote it into our common human nature. And in the end, even the Berlin Wall could not withstand the force of this humble Polish priest, who became the Bishop of Rome -- and a hero for the ages.

I appreciate the work IRI is doing to advance the cause of liberty. For more than two decades, IRI has been at the forefront of democratic change in more than 100 countries -- training the next generation of leaders, strengthening political parties, monitoring elections, and building civil societies. You have made an enormous difference in the lives of millions across the world, who now enjoy the freedoms that you helped them claim. The world is safer, freer, and more peaceful because of the International Republican Institute.

We are living in historic times; freedom is making unprecedented progress across the globe. In the last 18 months, we have witnessed revolutions of Rose, Orange, Purple, Tulip and Cedar -- and these are only the beginning. Across the Caucasus and Central Asia, hope is stirring at the prospect of change -- and change will come. Across the broader Middle East, we are seeing the rise of a new generation whose hearts burn for freedom -- and they will have it.

This is a period of great idealism -- when dreams of liberty are coming true for millions. Yet to achieve idealistic goals, we need realistic policies to help nations secure their freedom -- and practical strategies to help young democracies consolidate their gains.

To help young democracies succeed, we need to recognize that freedom movements can create a vacuum. Democratic change and free elections are exhilarating events. Yet we know from experience that they can be followed by moments of uncertainty. When people risk everything to vote, it can raise expectations that their lives will improve immediately -- but history teaches that the path to a free society is long and not always smooth.

During my visit to Europe, I stopped in a country that is now in the early stages of this transition from free elections to a free society -- the nation of Georgia. I was proud to stand with the Georgian people in Tbilisi's Freedom Square to celebrate the peaceful revolution that took place 18 months ago. It has taken nearly fifteen years of struggle for the citizens of this young democracy to establish freedom and justice in their country. But I have seen the resolve of Georgia's leaders, and the spirit of the Georgian people. And I can assure you: They have the will to succeed -- and we will help them.

Almost every new democracy has gone through a period of challenge and confusion. In Slovakia, the Velvet Revolution was followed by a period of neo-authoritarian rule before freedom firmly took root. In Romania, the communist regime was toppled in 1989 -- and today the post-communist leadership is still dealing with the legacy of corruption they inherited, as they work to build a vibrant democracy. In Ukraine, citizens waited 13 years after independence for the Orange revolution that solidified their democratic gains. All these countries still have much work to do, but their people are courageous... their leaders are determined -- and with our help they will prevail.

As we push the freedom agenda, we must remember the history of our own country. The American Revolution was followed by years of chaos. In 1783, Congress was chased from Philadelphia by angry veterans demanding back pay -- and stayed on the run for six months. Our first effort at a governing charter, the Articles of Confederation, failed miserably -- and it took several years before we finally adopted our Constitution and inaugurated our first President. And it took a four-year civil war, and a century of struggle after that, before the promise of our Declaration was extended to all Americans.

No nation in history has made the transition from tyranny to a free society without setbacks and false starts. What separates those nations that succeed from those that falter is their progress in establishing free institutions.

So to help young democracies succeed, we must help them build free institutions to fill the vacuum created by change. Democracy takes different forms in different cultures. Yet we know that in all cultures, successful democracies are built on certain common foundations -- and they include the following rights:

First, all successful democracies need freedom of speech, with a vibrant free press that informs the public, ensures transparency, and prevents authoritarian backsliding.

Second, all successful democracies need freedom of assembly, so citizens can gather and organize in free associations to press for reform, and so that a peaceful, loyal opposition can provide citizens with real choices.

Third, all successful democracies need a free economy to unleash the creativity of its citizens and create prosperity and opportunity and economic independence from the state.

Fourth, all democracies need an independent judiciary to guarantee rule of law and assure impartial justice for all citizens.

And fifth, all democracies need freedom of worship, because respect for the beliefs of others is the only way to build a society where compassion and tolerance prevail.

These are the foundations that sustain human freedom. Societies that lay these foundations not only survive, but thrive. Societies that fail to do so often find they have built their future on sand instead of rock -- and risk sliding back into tyranny. So we have a great responsibility: We must help these young democracies build the free institutions that will protect their liberty and extend it for future generations.

To help young democracies succeed and build these institutions of liberty, we must enlist the help of many individuals and institutions: Non- governmental organizations, the United States government, and the world's free nations all have important roles to play.

To build free institutions, we are counting on groups like IRI. As more and more people rise up to demand their freedom, the world is seeing a proliferation of democratic transitions. For IRI, and others in the business of promoting democratic change, this is good news - it means you are in a growth industry. We need you to continue your vital work helping to ensure free and fair elections across the world. At the same time, we also need you to focus your skills and experience on what comes after the elections are over, the news media has left, and the world's attention has turned elsewhere.

As new democracies emerge, we need you to help civic associations in these countries transform from regime opponents to issue advocates -- so they can press legitimate governments for essential reforms. We need you to help the democratic reformers you have trained make the transition from dissidents to elected legislators - by teaching them how to build coalitions, set legislative agendas, and master unfamiliar skills... like constituent service. We need you to help businesses in new market economies organize trade associations and chambers of commerce -- so they can promote pro-growth economic policies. And we need you to teach newly-elected governments the importance of building public support for their policies and programs - as well as how to effectively engage a free news media. By helping people build these institutions and develop the habits of a liberty, you are helping them transform new democracies into lasting free societies.

To build free institutions, the U.S. government has responsibilities. To help us meet this goal, since taking office my Administration has provided more than 4.6 billion dollars for programs to support democratic change around the world - and we have requested over 1.3 billion dollars for these efforts in our 2006 budget. Our 2006 budget also requests 80 million dollars for the National Endowment for Democracy -- more than double NED's budget when I took office. And in the coming years, we will increasingly focus funding on programs to help new democracies after the elections are over.

We must also improve the responsiveness of our government to help nations emerging from tyranny and war. Democratic change can arrive suddenly -- and that means our government must be able to move quickly to provide needed assistance. So last summer, my Administration established a new Office of Reconstruction and Stabilization in the State Department, led by Ambassador Carlos Pascual. This new office is charged with coordinating our government's civilian efforts to meet an essential mission: helping the world's newest democracies make the transition to peace, freedom, and a market economy.

One of the lessons we learned from our experience in Iraq is that, while military personnel can be rapidly deployed anywhere in the world, the same is not true of U.S. government civilians. Many fine civilian workers from almost every department of our government volunteered to serve in Iraq. They did an amazing job under extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances -- and America appreciates their service and sacrifice. But the process of recruiting and staffing the Coalition Provisional Authority was lengthy and difficult. That is why one of the first projects of the new Office of Reconstruction and Stabilization will be the creation of a new Active Response Corps, made up of foreign and civil service officers who can deploy quickly to crisis situations as civilian "first responders." This new Corps will be on call -- ready to get programs running on the ground in days and weeks instead of months and years. My 2006 Budget requests 24 million dollars for this office, and 100 million dollars for a new Conflict Response Fund. If a crisis emerges, and assistance is needed, America will be ready.

This office will also work to expand our use of civilian volunteers from outside our government, who have the right skills and are willing to serve in these missions. After the liberation of Iraq and Afghanistan, Americans from all walks of life stepped forward to help these newly liberated nations recover. Last summer a Lancaster, Ohio police officer named Brian Fisher volunteered to spend a year in Baghdad training Iraqi police. Brian says: "The Iraqi people have been under a dictatorship... and now they are moving toward a democracy. I wanted to do something to help." Last May, a Notre Dame Law School professor named Jimmy Gurule helped train 39 Iraqi judges, some of whom will conduct the trials of Saddam Hussein and other senior members of his regime. Because of the efforts of people like him, those trials will be fair and transparent -- and a victory for the rule of law in Iraq.

These are ordinary Americans who are making extraordinary contributions to freedom's cause. The spirit of our citizens is remarkable -- and we will put that spirit to work to advance the cause of liberty... and build a safer world.

We are improving the capacity of our military to assist nations that are making democratic transitions. In Iraq and Afghanistan our men and women in uniform are serving with courage and distinction -- and they are making America proud. The main purpose of our military is to find and defeat the terrorists overseas, so we do not face them here at home. A major goal of our military is to train Iraqi and Afghan security forces, so these nations can defend their people and fight the terrorists themselves. But at the same time, America's Armed Forces are also undertaking a less visible, but increasingly important task: helping the people of these nations build civil societies from the rubble of oppression.

In Afghanistan, U.S. and Coalition forces are deploying Provincial Reconstruction Teams in remote regions across the country. These teams are helping the Afghan government to fix schools, dig wells, build roads, repair hospitals, and build confidence in the ability of Afghanistan's elected leaders to deliver real change in people's lives. In Iraq, soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division launched "Operation Adam Smith" -- setting up local chambers of commerce, providing Iraqi entrepreneurs with small business loans, and teaching them important skills like accounting, marketing, and writing business plans.

To give our military more resources for this vital work, we are rebalancing our forces -- moving people out of skills that are in low demand, such as heavy artillery, and adding more military police and civil affairs specialists that are needed in these situations. By transforming our military, we will make our Armed Forces faster, more agile and more lethal -- and we will make them more effective in helping societies transition from war and despotism to freedom and democracy.

To build free institutions, all free nations have responsibilities. We know that democracies do not foment terror or invade their neighbors. Democratic societies are peaceful societies -- which is why, for the sake of peace, the world's established democracies must help the world's newest democracies succeed.

The United States will continue to call upon our friends and allies across the world to help in this noble cause. And today, many nations are stepping forward with practical help. Some of the most active countries are those who have had recent experience of tyranny themselves. Hungary has established an International Center for Democratic Transition to share its experiences with emerging democracies. Lithuania is now preparing to deploy a provincial reconstruction team to Western Afghanistan. Slovakia is bringing Iraqi political leaders to Bratislava, to show them firsthand how a nation moves from dictatorship to democracy. With the help of IRI, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia are working to with civil society leaders in Belarus to bring freedom to Europe's last dictatorship. Bahrain, Jordan, the Czech Republic, Britain, and Italy have hosted hundreds of Iraqi judges, so they can study modern legal techniques that will help Iraq establish the rule of law. Many nations are contributing troops for stability operations. In Afghanistan, 40 countries have forces on the ground, and NATO has taken charge of the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul. In Iraq, thirty nations have forces deployed, and NATO is helping to train army officers, police and civilian administrators of a new Iraq.

New democracies need the help of the free world. As we are seeing in the Middle East, freedom often has deadly enemies -- men who celebrate murder, incite suicide and thirst for absolute power. By working together to aid democratic transitions, we will isolate and defeat the forces of terror -- and ensure a peaceful future for our citizens.

We are focused on the broader Middle East, because we know that sixty years of Western nations excusing and accommodating the lack of freedom in that region did nothing to make us safe. If the Middle East remains a place where freedom does not flourish, it will remain a place of stagnation, resentment, and violence ready for export. To make the world a more peaceful place, the United States has adopted a new policy, a forward strategy of freedom in the Middle East. And we are beginning to see the effects of this new approach.

Iraq and Afghanistan have held free elections -- and are now building free societies. In Afghanistan, they have for the first time a democratically elected president, and they are now seeing the rebirth of civil society in a place that until recently had known only the terror of the Taliban. Iraqis now have an elected Transitional National Assembly, a new prime minister, and are on their way to writing a new constitution for a free Iraq. In this vital work, Iraqis and Afghans have the support of the American people -- and the assistance of the International Republican Institute.

The Palestinian people have gone to the polls and chosen a leader committed to negotiation instead of violence. And now we must help them build the free institutions that will be a foundation for lasting peace. So I have asked Jim Wolfensohn to help Prime Minister Abbas build a modern economy and political institutions in Gaza. By building institutions that are effective and serve the will of the people, we will help Israelis and Palestinians achieve a future of freedom and peace.

Egypt will hold its first multi-party presidential election this fall. The success of this important step can be advanced by the presence of international monitors, and by rules that allow for a real campaign. In Lebanon, the citizens of that nation rose up to demand their independence, and will vote in elections that are set to start at the end of this month. Those elections must go forward with no outside interference. And when the Lebanese people have chosen their leaders, the world's free nations will be there to help them build a lasting democracy.

In these countries, and across the world, those who claim their liberty will have an unwavering ally in the United States. This Administration will stand with the democratic reformers -- no matter how hard it gets. We have a responsibility to build a more peaceful world for our children and grandchildren. And we know that by extending liberty to millions who have not known it, we will advance the cause of freedom -- and the cause of peace. We are confident in the future -- because we know that the future belongs to freedom.

The tree of liberty begins as a sapling -- vulnerable to violent winds and gathering storms. Yet if nurtured and protected, it will grow into a mighty oak that can withstand any storm -- and when it does, the very winds that once threatened it will carry its seeds across borders and barriers... to take root in still other lands.

We will encourage freedom's advance, nurture its progress, and help the nations that choose it to navigate the pitfalls that follow. This is the challenge of this new century, and the calling of our time. And America will do its duty.

Thank you.

 

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