Jalal Talabani Iraq Quotations

We are trying to persuade all the Iraqi opposition to come breathe freedom in Iraq and use liberated Kurdistan as a base for our common struggle.

Iraq is not going to starve to death because of the absence of assistance from Arab countries.

Rather, it is through conciliation and compromise that we are building a fair Iraq, a just state for all its peoples.

It was an agreement between (former Iraqi president) Saddam (Hussein) and the shah of Iran (ousted in 1979) and not between Iraq and Iran.

I must tell you that I am committed, as the president of Iraq, to benchmarks and to do our best to achieve some progress forward for national reconciliation.

Human rights and individual liberties, including religious freedom, will be at the heart of the new Iraq.

As president of Iraq, I shall strive to represent the diversity of a country that has too often in the past denied difference.

Iraq is not occupied, but there are foreign forces on its soil, which is different.

I believe the democratic transformation in Iraq will lead to change in Middle East.

Iraq is not hesitant to openly and frankly say we are in desperate need of... your support for its efforts to fight terrorism.

Iraq is a sovereign independent nation that won?t let other nations interfere in its internal affairs.

Iraq as part of Arab society follows Arab League's decisions,

It is legitimate for you to think about withdrawing your troops, but it must be done gradually and in consultation with the Iraqi government.

I believe that we are about to face a new strategy of the neighboring countries, especially by the brothers who support Iraq and the Iraqi people.

It is this regime that started a war of genocide against the Kurdish people, then started an unjust war against our dear neighbour Iran which has often helped the Iraqi people at times of hardship.

For the Iraqi state, it is very difficult,

I swore to respect the Iraqi democratic regime and the Iraqi laws.

Unlike Pakistan, which is a Muslim but not Arab country, Iraq is an active member in the Arab League and committed to the decisions of the Arab summit in Beirut,

A premature withdrawal would be a disaster for the Iraqi people and a victory for terrorism,

But those who are pro-Saddam are very difficult to reach agreement with, because they are still dreaming to bring back the dictatorship, which is of course refused by the big majority of the Iraqi people.

build the new Iraqi state on democracy and freedom.

A timetable will help the terrorists, will encourage them that they could defeat a superpower of the world and Iraqi people, ... We don't want to do anything without the agreement with the Americans because we don't want to give any signal to the terrorists that our will to defeat them is weakened.

We believe that the United States should coordinate and cooperate with the Iraqi opposition, and must not entertain any idea of making changes behind the opposition's back.

The Iraqi judiciary will sentence Saddam with what it sees suitable. There is no political order.

Saddam Hussein committed many crimes, the most important of which are the mass graves that hold hundreds of thousands of Iraqis including children, women, the elderly and men who were buried without a trial.

Those who think terrorism in Iraq is the result of the presence of multinational forces are wrong,

The terrible crime against the pilgrims is yet another proof of the brutality of those terrorists who are launching a genocidal war against the Iraqi people.

Slaying terrorism, and the extremist nationalism and perversion of religion that breeds it, will require our greatest effort, both as Iraqis and as new members of the alliance of democracies.

No country, including the US, would dare stop Baghdad from approaching Tehran since Iraq is an independent state,

We need to unite and maintain peace as this incident can divert Iraq from the constitution to violence,

We don't want British forces forever in Iraq. Within one year, I think at the end of 2006, Iraqi troops will be ready to replace British forces in the south.

I think the future of Iraq will be democratic, pluralistic and federal. After the toppling of the regime there will be a democratic system that will be fair for all its citizens.

I think that the majority of Iraqi people, including some Arab Sunnis, will vote for 'yes' in the referendum.

Believe me, the United States is very popular now in Iraqi Kurdistan.

the common desire of Iraqi people and American people.

But I am feeling as Iraqi, and my duty is to work as an Iraqi for all Iraqis regardless of their nationalities.

I expected that one day when Iraq becomes a country where citizens are equal that a Kurd would be a president, and why not?

I explained to the United States officials here that the Iraqi opposition, Kurds included ... have tens of thousands of armed people,

Lose in Iraq and then all of the gains that democrats and dissidents have made across a vast swathe of the Islamic world, not just the Middle East, will be lost,

And the Iraqi people are liberated from the worst kind of dictatorship. Now they are enjoying their democratic rights, all kinds of freedoms, a free press.

They are Iraqi and American forces, and they perform their mission, the mission of cleaning the area from terrorists.

We have decided to support the draft and agreed to some changes which we think necessary for the country's ties with the Arab League, as Iraq is a founding member in the AL,

I pledge we will not waver, and I appreciate your same pledge, ... Iraq will take its place among the world's democracies.

I wish that all Iraqi Arabs, Kurds and others vote 'Yes' to the draft constitution which represents their ambition to build a democratic, federal, united and independent state,

Rather, we ask that the uniqueness of the Iraqi experience be recognized and our newly restored sovereignty respected.

If those who call themselves the Iraqi resistance desired to contact me, I would welcome them. I would not refuse to meet any Iraqi who wants to meet me. But of course that does not mean I will accept what he says.

If those who call themselves Iraqi resistance want to make contact with me, I will welcome them. I want to listen to all Iraqis.

I understand that Italians want their troops in Iraq to come home as soon as possible,

We have more than 100,000 (Kurdish resistance fighters), and Syria also has tens of thousands. These forces can liberate Iraq with the support of the United States, with cooperation and coordination with American forces.

This will be Iraq for all without discrimination among Iraqi citizens, or ethnic or sectarian discrimination.

I have good news for the Iraqi people on this historic day. An agreement has been reached on amendments to the draft constitution,

stand with the Iraqi people as they move forward with the Democratic process.

This delay will not shake the confidence of the Iraqi people, which stands behind its parliament,

All Iraqis will have the right to participate in the government and to ask for their own demands, and this will help to reshape Iraq on a base of national unity.

All Iraqis from Shiites, Sunnis, Arabs and Kurds are here,

I will carry out my duties as head of the presidential council, and I will acknowledge your trust and trust of the Iraqi people, who have freely elected you in our free Iraq,

Furthermore, the Iraqis do not want to be more Palestinians than the Palestinians themselves,

First, we insist on democracy, they on dictatorship. Then there is the matter of the continuous ethnic cleansing policy in the Kurdish areas under the control of the Iraqi government.

First of all, elections were held in Iraq and 8.5 million Iraqis participated in them.

The brutal regime of the dictator fell ... the regime that ruled Iraq for decades, the decades of darkness. The decades that were of tyranny.

under extremely difficult circumstances (Iraq) pursues the inherently complicated task of rebuilding the country. Yet Iraq continues, courageously, to reach for the promise of a democratic, federal and pluralistic state, where generations of oppressed Iraqis will regain their dignity, freedom and the right to join the civilized and progressive nations of the world.

There is no real Arab empathy with the hundreds of women and children in Iraq killed on a daily basis at the hands of criminal terrorists who come from the Arab countries -- These criminals and executioners, who consider the Shiites -- who constitute the majority in Iraq -- to be infidels, and consider the Kurds - the second largest nationality in Iraq-to be traitors, are glorified by the Arab press.

Today, Iraq is facing one of the most brutal campaigns of terror at the hands of the forces of darkness,

We hope that this constitution will be accepted by all Iraqis and that it will be for everybody. We are optimistic ...

We will set no timetable for withdrawal, Mr. President. A timetable will help the terrorists, will encourage them that they could defeat the superpower of the world and the Iraqi people,

All the Iraqi groups got support and help from Syria. And now we have reached the position of rule, Syria should continue its support of these groups, the current ruling groups in Iraq that are friendly to Syria.

We should not be hasty regarding the issues and the constitution should not be born crippled, ... We are keen to have an early constitution, but the constitution should be completed in all of its items in a proper manner that appeals to all components of the Iraqi people so that the whole people interact with the whole constitution.

For me, I hope to continue to the end, my struggle and life, to see a democratic, federative, united, prosperous Iraq, that Iraqi people will live in peace and prosperity, and Iraq will use its huge wealth for the benefit of the Iraqi people.

We believe that an Iraqi founding national assembly, freely elected, must decide the future of Iraq.

On this historic day I would like to pay tribute to the Iraqi people because of this historic accomplishment, ... I think they are capable of this mission.

After the end of 2006, British troops can be pulled out step by step in cooperation with Iraq forces,

I want to congratulate our people who struggled against dictatorship for democracy and freedom, ... This constitution is a first of its kind, written by representatives of important Iraqi factions.

We in the Iraqi opposition have a common stand that the opposition forces, assisted by regional and international states including the United States, must undertake comprehensive democratic changes.

The Kurdish people want American presence, not only as deterrent against possible Iraqi attacks but also because there are terrorist organizations such as the Ansar Al-Islam and others, which constitute a danger to the Kurdish people.

The Kurdish Coalition will not take part in the coming government unless the Iraqi List takes part in it.

The draft constitution is ready and will be presented to the Iraqi people, who are known for their intelligence, to give their verdict on October 15,

The aspirations of Sunni Arabs should be met, ... the constitution is to serve everybody and not only one community of the Iraqi society.

I think the Iraqi minister of human rights wanted to show them which kind of democracy now we have,

I think the Iraqi Liberation Act, is useful, very important, it's for the first time assuring Iraqi people that America wants to end dictatorship and replace it with a democratic system.

The stability of country would not be achieved without consensus among the major three components of the Iraqi people (Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds),

They all said one thing to me: that there are no limits to Iran's cooperation with and support for the Iraqi people and government,

The victory of the new Iraq will be the triumph of freedom over hate, of decency over intolerance.

In my opinion, Iraqi forces, the popular forces and government forces, are now ready to end the insurgency and this terrorism.

He was always planning to have different places to hide himself from, from the people. Iraq is a wide country. You have many places that some person can hide themselves for awhile. But I don't think he will be able to hide himself forever.

The American army will be very warmly welcomed in Iraqi Kurdistan.

the mean sides that committed this crime aims to harm the independent judicial track in Iraq .

This is the first constitution in our history in which all of the Iraqi people have taken part, ... I know there are gaps in the constitution, but only God is complete. The Koran is the only book that cannot be changed. The constitution can be amended.