2006 ambassador speeches Remarks By Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad For the Inauguration of the Salah ad Din PRT Salah ad Din, Iraq October 12, 2006

I am very happy to be here with you to mark the inauguration of the Salah ad Din Provincial Reconstruction Team. Thank you very much, Stephanie. I wish you all the best with the members of your team in delivering on the goals of the Salah ad Din PRT. I have met some of the people on the PRT. The PRT members come from diverse backgrounds, and bring a wide array of abilities to this mission. This PRT will include people from: The United States Embassy; The U.S. Agency for International Development; The Army Corps of Engineers; Bilingual-bicultural advisors; Army Civil Affairs soldiers; And others. I want to say a word to the Americans serving here in Salah ad Din. You have come a long way from home for a noble cause – to help the leaders and the people of Salah ad Din province. I want each and every one of you to know I appreciate your dedication to helping the people of Iraq and the people of Salah ad Din. In helping Iraq succeed, you are promoting a better world and assisting the United States’ security. I thank you all. I’d like to thank Governor Shakti, Deputy Governor Mohammed, Provincial Council Chairman Sheikh Osman, Sheikh Nagy, Major General Mixon, and other distinguished leaders who are with us today. We often tend to focus on Iraq's national politics and terrorist and sectarian violence in Baghdad. However, we must not forget the importance of improving Iraqi lives in their communities across the country. Iraq requires not only good government at the center, but also effective local government and strong coordination between the provincial and central governments. Today, along with the Salah ad Din Provincial leadership, we are taking another step forward in this direction with the inauguration of the Salah ad Din Provincial Reconstruction Team. As you know, one feature of the new Iraqi constitution is that it delegates responsibility to provincial and regional governments. This adjustment from a centralized to a de-centralized system of government is one of the most important transitions facing Iraq. Local governments in Iraq vary in their capacity to meet the needs of their citizens and in carrying out their new constitutional responsibilities. The PRTs are designed to be flexible in working with local governments to increase their capacity to deliver on these responsibilities. Besides uniting in the fight against terror, the success of Iraq will turn on several key issues: A national reconciliation that provides a solid political foundation for the state, including a hydrocarbon law that unites all Iraqis and is based on the fundamental principle that oil belongs to all Iraqis; Reform of the De-Ba’athification laws, as the Governor mentioned, into accountability and reconciliation; and Bringing into the political process those who have not been included so far; Security forces that are effective and trusted by all Iraqis and ending militias and other unauthorized military formations; Reforming FBS and making sure that security companies work as they should; Good governance and rule of law; and Economic development which gives Iraqi families the opportunity to earn livelihoods and build prosperous futures in this potentially very rich country There is another challenge facing Iraqis: preventing regional powers who want Iraq to fail. Two countries are particularly playing a negative role: the Iranian and Syrian regimes. These regimes are supporting groups who are killing Iraqis. Their objective is to use Iraqis as cannon fodder in their plan to keep Iraqis divided and Iraq weak. Iraqis must unite against their enemies and against sectarianism and the killing of the innocent. In our vision, PRTs are designed to contribute to many of those goals. They are the embodiment of our commitment, at the provincial and local levels, to ensure Iraq's success. In Salah ad Din, the PRT will support national reconciliation by helping the Provincial Government to establish its working relations with the national government. At the same time, this will provide the Province’s residents with an important role in Iraq’s political process. Because security is the foundation for all the other building blocks of a democratic government and a growing economy, we are helping to manage the construction of an Iraqi Army base near Samarra that will improve security in that key city and along Salah ad Din’s roads. The PRT will increase public access to government through programs that will educate provincial officials on the need for transparency and accountability to the needs of Salah ad Din’s citizens. Already, they have also been working with the Provincial Council to establish rules of procedure for the Council and to define the roles of the Provincial Council and the Governor. The PRT is also working with local government officials to establish proper detention facilities, a circuit court to perform adjudications throughout the province, and to bolster the investigatory capacity of local police and judges. Finally, the PRT will foster economic development to develop Salah ad Din’s enormous agricultural potential. The PRT is also working to establish a business center. Yet while the PRTs are a manifestation of the U.S.-Iraqi partnership to build a secure, sovereign, and prosperous Iraq, they can only play a supporting role. Now this country belongs to the Iraqi people, and in the end its success or – God forbid its failure – will depend upon the Iraqi people and their leaders. I believe Iraqis will succeed in meeting these challenges. As we move forward in rebuilding Iraq, it is important to recognize that mistakes have been made over the past three years. Despite these errors, the United States of America is committed to success in Iraq. With our coalition partners, we have already invested more than $975 million in reconstruction in Salah ad Din. We are working hard on the electric power sector, and additional investment is being made on the province’s roads, bridges, and transportation infrastructure. The upgrade of the Tuz water network, and the upgrading of the electrical transmission lines from Beji to Haditha are among the most significant projects soon to be completed or undertaken that will improve the lives of the people of Salah ad Din. It is also important to recognize that the last three years have brought many difficult challenges for the residents of Salah ad Din. Changes in the political, economic, and security situation across the province have forced Salah ad Din residents to re-forge their identity and their role in the national political process. In the proud tradition of Salah ad Din Ayyoubi, the provincial leaders are meeting these continuing challenges directly, and are reestablishing the province as an important, vital part of the Iraqi nation. Salah ad Din’s success in addressing these challenges is critical for Iraq’s success. A successful Iraq will reshape the future of the Middle East, and the future of the Middle East will reshape the future of the world. So what is going on in Iraq is very important. This is why the PRTs are not strictly an American venture – others are also participating. The United Kingdom launched a PRT in Basra in May, and the Italians in Dhi Qar. Later this month, the Republic of Korea will lead a PRT in Iraq’s Kurdish Region. Let me end by saying we are committed to helping Iraqis stand on their own feet, and the improvement of local governance and communities is an integral part of this overall effort. Working together with the Iraqis and the international community, Iraq will succeed. Ramadan Kareem. Thank you, and may God bless the people of Iraq. # # #

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