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This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
Quotes from President George W. Bush on Democracy in the Middle East
“Dictators in Iraq and Syria promised the restoration of national honor, a return to ancient glories. They’ve left a legacy of torture, oppression, misery, and ruin.”
“Iraq democracy will succeed—and that success will send forth the news, from Damascus to
Tehran—that freedom can be the future of every nation. The establishment of a free Iraq at the
heart of the Middle East will be a watershed event in the global democratic revolution.”
“And we believe that freedom—the freedom we prize—is not for us alone, it is the right and the
capacity of all mankind.”
“Over time, free nations grow stronger and dictatorships grow weaker.… [L]iberty, if not
defended, can be lost.… The success of freedom rests upon the choices and the courage of free
people.… [F]rom exile, the leaders of new democracies will arrive.”
“The advance of freedom leads to peace.”
Speech at the National Endowment for Democracy, November 6, 2003
“We must shake off decades of failed policy in the Middle East. Your nation and mine, in the
past, have been willing to make a bargain, to tolerate oppression for the sake of stability.
Longstanding ties often led us to overlook the faults of local elites. Yet this bargain did not
bring stability or make us safe. It merely bought time, while problems festered and ideologies
of violence took hold.”
“By advancing freedom in the greater Middle East, we help end cycle of dictatorship and radicalism. If the Middle East remains a place where freedom does not flourish, it will remain a
place of stagnation. Now we’re pursuing a different course, a forward strategy of freedom.”
Speech at the Whitehall Palace in London, November 19, 2003.
“We also hear doubts that democracy is a realistic goal for the greater Middle East, where freedom is rare. Yet it is mistaken, and condescending, to assume that whole cultures and great religions are incompatible with liberty and self-government. I believe that God has planted in
every human heart the desire to live in freedom. And even when that desire is crushed by tyranny
for decades, it will rise again.”
“America is a nation with a mission and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs. We
have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace—a peace
founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman. This great republic will lead
the cause of freedom.”
Speech of the State of the Union, January 21, 2004
“America is pursuing a forward strategy of freedom in the greater Middle East. We are challenging
the enemies of reform, confronting the allies of terror, and expecting a higher standard
from our friends. American policy looked away while men and women were oppressed, their
rights ignored and their hopes stifled. That era is over and we can be confident. As in Germany
and Japan, and Eastern Europe, liberty will overcome oppression in the Middle East.”
“True democracy reform must come from within. And across the Middle East, reformers are
pushing for change. From Morocco, to Jordan, to Qatar, we’re seeing elections and new protections
for women and the stirring of political pluralism. When the leaders of reform ask for
our help, America will give it.”
Speech at the Library of Congress, February 4, 2004
“We’re not an imperial power, as nations such as Japan and Germany can attest. We are a liberating power, as nations in Europe and Asia can attest, as well. America’s objective in Iraq is limited, and it is firm: We seek an independent, free and secure Iraq.”
“A free Iraq will show that America is on the side of Muslims who wish to live in peace, as we
have already shown in Kuwait and Kosovo, Bosnia and Afghanistan. A free Iraq will confirm
to a watching world that America’s word, once given, can be relied upon, even in the toughest
times.”
Remarks at the White House Press Conference, April 13, 2004
“We believe that freedom can advance and change lives in the greater Middle East, as it has
advanced and changed lives in Asia, and Latin America, and Eastern Europe, and Africa. We
believe it is a tragedy of history that in the Middle East—which gave the world great gifts of
law and science and faith—so many have been held back by lawless tyranny and fanaticism.
We believe that when all Middle Eastern peoples are finally allowed to live and think and
work and worship as free men and women, they will reclaim the greatness of their own heritage.
And when that day comes, the bitterness and burning hatreds that feed terrorism will
fade and die away. America and all the world will be safer when hope has returned to the
Middle East.”
Remarks at the United State Army War College, May 24, 2004
“Democracy leads to justice within a nation—and the advance of democracy leads to greater
security among nations. The reason is clear: Free peoples do not live in endless stagnation,
and seethe in resentment, and lash out in envy, rage, and violence. Free peoples do not cling
to every grievance of the past—they build and live for the future. This is the experience of
countries in the NATO alliance. Freedom in Europe has brought peace to Europe—and now
freedom can bring peace to the broader Middle East.”
“The rise of Iraqi democracy is bringing hope to reformers across the Middle East, and sending
a very different message to Teheran and Damascus. A free and sovereign Iraq is also a
decisive defeat for extremists and terrorists—because their hateful ideology will lose its appeal
in a free, tolerant, successful country.”
“In their need for hope, in their desire for peace, in their right to freedom, the peoples of the Middle East are exactly like you and me. Their birthright of freedom has been denied for too
long. And we will do all in our power to help them find the blessings of liberty.”
Remarks in Istanbul, Turkey upon the NATO meeting June, 29, 2004
“Free societies in the Middle East will be hopeful societies, which no longer feed resentments
and breed violence for export. Free governments in the Middle East will fight terrorists
instead of harboring them, and that helps us keep the peace. So our mission in Afghanistan
and Iraq is clear: We will help new leaders to train their armies, and move toward elections,
and get on the path of stability and democracy as quickly as possible. And then our troops
will return home with the honor they have earned.”
“We are working to advance liberty in the broader Middle East, because freedom will bring a
future of hope, and the peace we all want. And we will prevail.”
“I believe that millions in the Middle East plead in silence for their liberty. I believe that given the chance, they will embrace the most honorable form of government ever devised by man.
I believe all these things because freedom is not America’s gift to the world; it is the almighty
God’s gift to every man and woman in this world.”
Remarks in Madison Square Garden, New York September 2, 2004
“The United States has undertaken a great calling of history to aid the forces of reform and freedom in the broader Middle East so that that region can grow in hope, instead of growing in anger. We're pursuing a positive direction to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, an approach that honors the peaceful aspirations of the Palestinian people through a democratic state, and an approach that will ensure the security of our good friend, Israel.”
Remarks at the nomination of Dr. Rice, Washington DC November 16, 2004
“There is only one force of history that can break the reign of hatred and resentment, and expose the pretensions of tyrants, and reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force of human freedom”.
“The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world”.
“Across the generations we have proclaimed the imperative of self-government, because no one is fit to be a master, and no one deserves to be a slave. Advancing these ideals is the mission that created our Nation. It is the honorable achievement of our fathers. Now it is the urgent requirement of our nation's security, and the calling of our time”.
“The great objective of ending tyranny is the concentrated work of generations. The difficulty of the task is no excuse for avoiding it. America's influence is not unlimited, but fortunately for the oppressed, America's influence is considerable, and we will use it confidently in freedom's cause”.
“In the long run, there is no justice without freedom, and there can be no human rights without human liberty”.
“All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you”.
“By our efforts, we have lit a fire as well - a fire in the minds of men. It warms those who feel its power, it burns those who fight its progress, and one day this untamed fire of freedom will reach the darkest corners of our world”.
“You have seen that life is fragile, and evil is real, and courage triumphs. Make the choice to serve in a cause larger than your wants, larger than yourself - and in your days you will add not just to the wealth of our country, but to its character”.
“America, in this young century, proclaims liberty throughout all the world, and to all the inhabitants thereof. Renewed in our strength - tested, but not weary - we are ready for the greatest achievements in the history of freedom”.
Remarks at his second swearing-in ceremony, Washington, DC January 20, 2005
“In great numbers, and under great risk, Iraqis have shown their commitment to democracy. By participating in free elections, the Iraqi people have firmly rejected the anti-democratic ideology of the terrorists. They have refused to be intimidated by thugs and assassins. And they have demonstrated the kind of courage that is always the foundation of self-government.”
Remarks at the White House upon the Iraqi elections, January 30, 2005
“Our responsibility to future generations is to leave them an America that is safe from danger, and protected by peace. We will pass along to our children all the freedoms we enjoy -- and chief among them is freedom from fear”.
“To promote peace and stability in the broader Middle East, the United States will work with our friends in the region to fight the common threat of terror, while we encourage a higher standard of freedom. Hopeful reform is already taking hold in an arc from Morocco to Jordan to Bahrain. The government of Saudi Arabia can demonstrate its leadership in the region by expanding the role of its people in determining their future. And the great and proud nation of Egypt, which showed the way toward peace in the Middle East, can now show the way toward democracy in the Middle East”.
“To promote peace in the broader Middle East, we must confront regimes that continue to harbor terrorists and pursue weapons of mass murder. Syria still allows its territory, and parts of Lebanon, to be used by terrorists who seek to destroy every chance of peace in the region. You have passed, and we are applying, the Syrian Accountability Act -- and we expect the Syrian government to end all support for terror and open the door to freedom. Today, Iran remains the world's primary state sponsor of terror -- pursuing nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom they seek and deserve. We are working with European allies to make clear to the Iranian regime that it must give up its uranium enrichment program and any plutonium reprocessing, and end its support for terror. And to the Iranian people, I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you”.
Speech at the State of the Union, February 2, 2005
“Our efforts are guided by a clear vision: We're determined to see two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. The Palestinian people deserve a government that is representative, honest and peaceful. The people of Israel need an end to terror and a reliable, steadfast partner for peace. And the world must not rest until there is a just and lasting resolution of this conflict.”
“Only a democracy can serve the hopes of Palestinians, and make Israel secure, and raise the flag of a free Palestine. A successful Palestinian democracy should be Israel's top goal as well. So Israel must freeze settlement activity, help Palestinians build a thriving economy, and ensure that a new Palestinian state is truly viable, with contiguous territory on the West Bank. A state of scattered territories will not work.”
“We seek peace between Israel and Palestine for its own sake. We also know that a free and peaceful Palestine can add to the momentum of reform throughout the broader Middle East.”
“Lasting, successful reform in the broader Middle East will not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen from within. Governments must choose to fight corruption, abandon old habits of control, protect the rights of conscience and the rights of minorities. Governments must invest in the health and education of their people, and take responsibility for solving problems instead of simply blaming others. Citizens must choose to hold their governments accountable.”
“The Lebanese people have the right to be free, and the United States and Europe share an interest in a democratic, independent Lebanon. My nation and France worked to pass Security Council Resolution 1559, which demands that Lebanon's sovereignty be respected, that foreign troops and agents be withdrawn, and that free elections be conducted without foreign interference. In the last several months, the world has seen men and women voting in historic elections, from Kabul to Ramallah to Baghdad -- and without Syrian interference, Lebanon's parliamentary elections in the spring can be another milestone of liberty.”
“America supports Europe's democratic unity for the same reason we support the spread of democracy in the Middle East -- because freedom leads to peace. And America supports a strong Europe because we need a strong partner in the hard work of advancing freedom in the world.”
Remarks at Concert Noble in Brussels, Belgium February 21, 2005
“Today, people in a long-troubled part of the world are standing up for their freedom. In the last few months, we've witnessed successful elections in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Palestinian Territories; peaceful demonstrations on the streets of Beirut, and steps toward democratic reform in places like Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The trend is clear: Freedom is on the march. Freedom is the birthright and deep desire of every human soul, and spreading freedom's blessings is the calling of our time. And when freedom and democracy take root in the Middle East, America and the world will be safer and more peaceful.”
Remarks upon receiving an Iraqi delegation at the Rose Garden, March 29, 2005
“Across the broader Middle East, the tide of freedom is surging. The people of Afghanistan have embraced free government, after suffering under one of the most backward tyrannies on Earth. The people of the Palestinian Territories cast their ballots against violence and corruption of the past. The people of Lebanon are rising up to demand their freedom and independence. Saudi Arabia has held its first municipal elections in decades. Egypt is taking its first steps on the path to democratic reform.”
Remarks at the Fort Hood, Texas, April 12, 2005
These are incredibly exciting times. They must be exciting times for you. And they're exciting times for me. They should be exciting times for everybody -- because 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 just the beginnings. 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.
Remarks at the International Republican Institute, Washington, DC. May 18, 2005
“Our nation stood guard on tense borders; we spoke for the rights of dissidents and the hopes of exile; we aided the rise of new democracies on the ruins of tyranny. And all the cost and sacrifice of that struggle has been worth it, because, from Latin America to Europe to Asia, we've gained the peace that freedom brings.”
“The influence of Islamic radicalism is also magnified by helpers and enablers. They have been sheltered by authoritarian regimes, allies of convenience like Syria and Iran, that share the goal of hurting America and moderate Muslim governments, and use terrorist propaganda to blame their own failures on the West and America, and on the Jews.”
“We're determined to deny radical groups the support and sanctuary of outlaw regimes. State sponsors like Syria and Iran have a long history of collaboration with terrorists, and they deserve no patience from the victims of terror. The United States makes no distinction between those who commit acts of terror and those who support and harbor them, because they're equally as guilty of murder. Any government that chooses to be an ally of terror has also chosen to be an enemy of civilization. And the civilized world must hold those regimes to account.”
“America is making this stand in practical ways. We're encouraging our friends in the Middle East, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, to take the path of reform, to strengthen their own societies in the fight against terror by respecting the rights and choices of their own people. We're standing with dissidents and exiles against oppressive regimes, because we know that the dissidents of today will be the democratic leaders of tomorrow. We're making our case through public diplomacy, stating clearly and confidently our belief in self-determination, and the rule of law, and religious freedom, and equal rights for women, beliefs that are right and true in every land, and in every culture.”
Speech at the national Endowment for Democracy, October 6, 2005
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