US Presidency
2008

His actions saved the lives of more than a hundred American troops and earned him the Medal of Honor. Today, in light of the challenges we have faced in Iraq, some look back at this period as the easy part of the war. Yet there was nothing easy about it. The liberation of Iraq took incredible skill and amazing courage. And the speed, precision, and brilliant execution of the campaign will be studied by military historians for years to come. What our troops found in Iraq following Saddam's removal was horrifying. They uncovered children's prisons and torture chambers and rape rooms where Iraqi women were violated in front of their families. They found videos showing regime thugs mutilating Iraqis deemed disloyal to Saddam. And across the Iraqi countryside, they uncovered mass graves of thousands executed by the regime. Because we acted, Saddam Hussein no longer fills fields with the remains of innocent men, women, and children. Because we acted, Saddam's torture chambers and rape rooms and children's prisons have been closed for good.