Transcript: Bush, Martin Media Availability

BUSH: First, you know, any time you talk about somebody who died in Iraq or in Afghanistan is a moment for me to thank them and their families for their sacrifice. And their sacrifice will not go in vain, because there will be a free Iraq.

BUSH: And a free Iraq is in the interests of our two nations. A free Iraq is in the interest of world peace. Because free societies do not harbor terrorists. Free societies do not threaten people or use weapons of mass destruction. A year ago...

QUESTION: Mr. President...

BUSH: A year ago...

QUESTION: Sorry.

BUSH: A year ago, I did give the speech from the carrier saying that we had achieved an important objective, that we had accomplished a mission, which was the removal of Saddam Hussein.

And as a result, there are no longer torture chambers or rape rooms or mass graves in Iraq. As a result, a friend of terror has been removed and now sits in a jail.

I also said on that carrier that day, that there was still difficult work ahead. And we face tough times in Iraq, Mr. Prime Minister. We've had some tough times. And we've had some tough fighting because there are people who hate the idea of a free Iraq. They're trying to stop progress. Because they understand what freedom means to their terrorist ambitions.

And so we're making progress, you bet. There's a strategy toward freedom. One of it, of course, is to continue to deal with those who are trying to stop the Iraqi people from realizing their ambitions of a free society. Whether it be in Fallujah or elsewhere, we will deal with them, those few who are stopping the hopes of many.

BUSH: There's a political strategy, and the prime minister and I will talk about that over lunch, Mr. Brahimi's mission of putting together an entity to which we will transfer sovereignty.

Now, there is a strategy that will help us achieve the objective, which is a free and peaceful country in the heart of the Middle East that is desperate for freedom and democracy and peace.

QUESTION: Mr. President, you're a rancher. Is there any hope -- what hope can you offer your fellow ranchers in Canada about when the border might be open to live Canadian cattle?

BUSH: As soon as possible. My administration is committed to a policy of free trade when it comes to beef. And we had a discussion about that today with -- that subject today with our respective agricultural ministers, or secretaries, as we call them here. And I assured the prime minister I want to get this solution, this issue solved as quickly as possible. And it's in our nations' interests that live beef be moving back and forth. That's also an interest to make sure that we make decisions based upon sound science, which he fully understands.

QUESTION: What was your reaction to the photos of U.S. soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners? How are you going to win their hearts and minds with these sort of tactics?