Remarks Following a Meeting With the Interagency Team on Iraq at Camp David, Maryland

I want to thank Generals Abizaid and Casey, as well as Ambassador Khalilzad for the last—for the briefing for the last 3 hours. I thought your assessment of the situation in Iraq was very realistic. I think your recommendations to us on how to win in Iraq, to have an Iraq that can govern itself, sustain itself, and defend itself are— your recommendations are valid.

I look forward to continuing to visit with you later on this afternoon about how we can help this new Government succeed. Zal, you've been—I just want to thank you all very much for remaining in theater and working as hard as you are. You're making a significant difference.

And again, please give my best congratulations to the troops on the ground for bringing Zarqawi to justice. I fully recognize that's not going to end the war. On the other hand, it was a major blow to Al Qaida and the killers and terrorists that are trying to spread violence and suffering and stop the emergence of a new democracy.

Zal, we left off where you were talking about the way forward in Iraq and your perception of this new Government.