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Three years after his famous photo-op before a banner hailing "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq, US President George W. Bush declared that the war-torn country had finally turned a corner in establishing security and democracy.
But Bush also conceded that there will still be "tough days ahead" in Iraq.
"This nation of ours and our coalition partners are going to work with the new leadership to strengthen our mutual efforts to achieve success, a victory in this war on terror," Bush said in brief remarks delivered on the White House lawn.
"We believe this is a turning point for the Iraqi citizens, and it's a new chapter in our partnership," the president said, flanked by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, fresh from their surprise visit last week to Iraq.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Peter Pace also joined the president on the White House lawn.
"The secretaries began building this new partnership during their trip. In other words, the Iraqi leaders saw that we are committed to helping them succeed," Bush told reporters.
"The Iraqi people need to know that we stand with them," the president declared.
Bush added that "there's going to be more tough days ahead," but said the US government "is more determined than ever to succeed, and we believe we've got partners to help the Iraqi people realize their dreams."
His remarks came on the three-year anniversary of a speech in which the flight suit-clad president, standing on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, pronounced major US combat operations over in Iraq.
His remarks and the now-infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner that accompanied them have been the subject of much criticism ever since, with thousands of US forces and Iraqi civilians killed in escalating violence over the past three years.