L. Paul Bremer
Administrator
Coalition Provisional Authority
Memorial Service for the victims of the
North Gate Attack
5 February 2004

We are here to pay tribute to the innocent people who, on a bright Sunday morning three weeks go, were murdered at the hands of cowardly terrorists at the North Gate.

It was an event of such cowardice that it drew condemnation from the good and decent people all over the world.

The dastardly attack in Arbil on Sundays shows that the terrorists think nothing of killing; even on the Holy Days.

The terrorists who set off the bomb a short distance from here were cowards of the lowest sort: They attacked innocent people who were doing nothing more than going to work to earn the money to support their families.

I understand that the Prophet Mohammed  honored such people; people who worked hard, who did honest work, who did excellent work, who worked to make a better life for their parents and their children.

The cowards who committed this reprehensible act took from families their husbands and sons; their wives and daughters.

The terrorists who killed so indiscriminately did not accomplish their goal which was to stop the march to democracy in a free and flourishing Iraq.

Terrorists will not succeed because Iraqis and the Coalition will not let them succeed.

They failed because those who have been left behind to continue the rebuilding of this great country are heroes.

Those who have come to help in this great cause from across the globe are heroes.

Those of you who have suffered the loss of a loved one are heroes.

Most of all, those who were killed and those who were injured are heroes. They are heroes to Iraq’s future of hope. Their names will be inscribed in Heaven as martyrs to the new Iraq.

That is an Iraq in which Iraqis are taking up the responsibility for their own safety and security.

An Iraq in which Iraqis are building an economy which will provide jobs and well-being to families all across the country.

An Iraq in which Iraqis will decide who their leaders will be - from the town councils to the national leadership; and those new leaders of Iraq will be chosen in open, fair and free elections.

An Iraq in which Iraqis will regain their place among the world’s leaders in education, in commerce, in media, and in every human endeavor.

Iraq has a glorious history. Iraq has a future of hope.

Do not fear that those who were killed at the North Gate will miss the coming days of a great Iraq: They will be watching and they will be at peace.

May peace be with them and all of us on this day of remembrance.