TEXT OF BUSH'S PRESS
CONFERENCE
The Associated Press
Noticia de “The Washington Post” del 14/04/2004
Por su interés y relevancia, he
seleccionado el artículo que sigue para incluirlo en este sitio web. (L. B.-B.)
Text of President Bush's press conference at the White
House on Tuesday, April 13, 2004, as transcribed by eMediaMillWorks Inc.:
Before I take your questions, let me speak with the
American people about the situation in Iraq.
This has been tough weeks in that country. Coalition
forces have encountered serious violence in some areas of Iraq. Our military
commanders report that this violence is being instigated by three groups. Some
remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime, along with Islamic militants, have attacked
coalition forces in the city of Fallujah. Terrorists from other countries have
infiltrated Iraq to incite and organize attacks.
In the south of Iraq, coalition forces face riots and
attacks that are being incited by a radical cleric named al-Sadr. He has
assembled some of his supporters into an illegal militia and publicly supported
the terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah.
Al-Sadr's methods of violence and intimidation are
widely repudiated by other Iraqi Shia. He's been indicted by Iraqi authorities
for the murder of a prominent Shia cleric.
Although these instigations of violence come from
different factions, they share common goals. They want to run us out of Iraq and
destroy the democratic hopes of the Iraqi people.
The violence we have seen is a power grab by these
extreme and ruthless elements. It's not a civil war. It's not a popular
uprising. Most of Iraq is relatively stable. Most Iraqis by far reject violence
and oppose dictatorship.
In forums where Iraqis have met to discuss their
political future, and in all the proceedings of the Iraqi Governing Council,
Iraqis have expressed clear commitments. They want strong protections for
individual rights. They want their independence. And they want their freedom.
America's commitment to freedom in Iraq is consistent
with our ideals and required by our interests. Iraq will either be a peaceful,
democratic country or it will again be a source of violence, a haven for terror
and a threat to America and to the world.
By helping secure a free Iraq, Americans serving in
that country are protecting their fellow citizens. Our nation is grateful to
them all and to their families that face hardship and long separation.
This weekend, at a Fort Hood hospital, I presented a
Purple Heart to some of our wounded, had the honor of thanking them on behalf of
all Americans.
Other men and women have paid an even greater cost. Our
nation honors the memory of those who have been killed, and we pray that their
families will find God's comfort in the midst of their grief.
As I have said to those who have lost loved ones, we
will finish the work of the fallen.
America's armed forces are performing brilliantly, with
all the skill and honor we expect of them. We're constantly reviewing their
needs. Troop strength now and in the future is determined by the situation on
the ground. If additional forces are needed, I will send them. If additional
resources are needed, we will provide them.
The people of our country are united behind our men and
women in uniform, and this government will do all that is necessary to assure
the success of their historic mission.
One central commitment of that mission is the transfer
of the sovereignty back to the Iraqi people. We have set a deadline of June
30th. It is important that we meet that deadline.
As a proud, independent people, Iraqis do not support
an indefinite occupation, and neither does America. We're not an imperial power,
as nations such as Japan and Germany can attest. We're a liberating power, as
nations in Europe and Asia can attest as well.
America's objective in Iraq is limited, and it is firm.
We seek an independent, free and secure Iraq.
Were the coalition to step back from the June 30th
pledge, many Iraqis would question our intentions and feel their hopes betrayed.
And those in Iraq who trade in hatred and conspiracy theories would find a
larger audience and gain a stronger hand.
We will not step back from our pledge. On June 30th,
Iraqi sovereignty will be placed in Iraqi hands.
Sovereignty involves more than a date and a ceremony.
It requires Iraqis to assume responsibility for their own future.
Iraqi authorities are now confronting the security
challenge of the last several weeks.
In Fallujah, coalition forces have suspended offensive
operations, allowing members of the Iraqi Governing Council and local leaders to
work on the restoration of central authority in that city. These leaders are
communicating with the insurgents to ensure an orderly turnover of that city to
Iraqi forces, so that the resumption of military action does not become
necessary.
They are also insisting that those who killed and
mutilated four American contract workers be handed over for trial and
punishment.
In addition, members of the Governing Council are
seeking to resolve the situation in the south. Al-Sadr must answer the charges
against him and disband his illegal militia.
Our coalition is standing with responsible Iraqi
leaders as they establish growing authority in their country. The transition to
sovereignty requires that we demonstrate confidence in Iraqis. And we have that
confidence. Many Iraqi leaders are showing great personal courage, and their
example will bring out the same quality in others.
The transition to sovereignty also requires an
atmosphere of security, and our coalition is working to provide that security.
We will continue taking the greatest care to prevent
harm to innocent civilians, yet we will not permit the spread of chaos and
violence. I have directed our military commanders to make every preparation to
use decisive force if necessary to maintain order and to protect our troops.
The nation of Iraq is moving toward self-rule, and
Iraqis and Americans will see evidence in the months to come. On June 30th, when
the flag of a free Iraq is raised, Iraqi officials will assume full
responsibility for the ministries of government. On that day, the transitional
administrative law, including a bill of rights that is unprecedented in the Arab
world, will take full effect.
The United States and all the nations of our coalition
will establish normal diplomatic relations with the Iraqi government. An
American embassy will open, and an American ambassador will be posted.
According to the schedule already approved by the
Governing Council, Iraq will hold elections for a national assembly no later
than next January. That assembly will draft a new permanent constitution, which
will be presented to the Iraqi people in a national referendum held in October
of next year.
Iraqis will then elect a permanent government by
December 15, 2005 - an event that will mark the completion of Iraq's transition
from dictatorship to freedom.
Other nations and international institutions are
stepping up to their responsibilities in building a free and secure Iraq. We're
working closely with the United Nations envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, and with Iraqis
to determine the exact form of the government that will receive sovereignty on
June 30th.
The United Nations Election Assistance Team, headed by
Karina Perelli, is in Iraq developing plans for next January's election. NATO is
providing support for the Polish-led, multinational division in Iraq. And 17 of
NATO's 26 members are contributing forces to maintain security.
Secretary of State Powell and Secretary of State
Rumsfeld and a number of NATO defense and foreign ministers are exploring a more
formal role for NATO, such as turning the Polish-led division into a NATO
operation and giving NATO specific responsibilities for border control.
Iraqis' neighbors also have responsibilities to make
their region more stable. So I'm sending Deputy Secretary of State Armitage to
the Middle East to discuss with these nations our common interest in a free and
independent Iraq, and how they can help achieve this goal.
As we've made clear all along, our commitment to the
success and security of Iraq will not end on June 30th. On July 1st and beyond,
our reconstruction assistance will continue and our military commitment will
continue.
Having helped Iraqis establish a new government,
coalition military forces will help Iraqis to protect their government from
external aggression and internal subversion.
The success of free government in Iraq is vital for
many reasons:
A free Iraq is vital because 25 million Iraqis have as
much right to live in freedom as we do.
A free Iraq will stand as an example to reformers
across the Middle East.
A free Iraq will show that America is on the side of
Muslims who wish to live in peace, as we've already shown in Kuwait and Kosovo,
Bosnia and Afghanistan.
A free Iraq will confirm to a watching world that
America's word, once given, can be relied upon, even in the toughest times.
Above all, the defeat of violence and terror in Iraq is
vital to the defeat of violence and terror elsewhere and vital, therefore, to
the safety of the American people.
Now is the time, and Iraq is the place, in which the
enemies of the civilized world are testing the will of the civilized world. We
must not waver.
The violence we are seeing in Iraq is familiar. The
terrorists who take hostages or plants a roadside bomb near Baghdad is serving
the same ideology of murder that kills innocent people on trains in Madrid, and
murders children on buses in Jerusalem, and blows up a nightclub in Bali and
cuts the throat of a young reporter for being a Jew.
We've seen the same ideology of murder in the killing
of 241 Marines in Beirut, the first attack on the World Trade Center, in the
destruction of two embassies in Africa, in the attack on the USS Cole, and in
the merciless horror inflicted upon thousands of innocent men and women and
children on September the 11th, 2001.
None of these acts is the work of a religion. All are
the work of a fanatical political ideology. The servants of this ideology seek
tyranny in the Middle East and beyond. They seek to oppress and persecute women.
BUSH: They seek the death of Jews and Christians and
every Muslim who desires peace over theocratic terror. They seek to intimidate
America into panic and retreat, and to set free nations against each other. And
they seek weapons of mass destruction, to blackmail and murder on a massive
scale.
Over the last several decades, we've seen that any
concession or retreat on our part will only embolden this enemy and invite more
bloodshed. And the enemy has seen, over the last 31 months, that we will no
longer live in denial or seek to appease them.
For the first time, the civilized world has provided a
concerted response to the ideology of terror - a series of powerful, effective
blows.
The terrorists have lost the shelter of the Taliban and
the training camps in Afghanistan. They have lost safe havens in Pakistan. They
lost an ally in Baghdad. And Libya has turned its back on terror.
They've lost many leaders in an unrelenting
international manhunt. And perhaps more frightening to these men and their
movement, the terrorists are seeing the advance of freedom and reform in the
greater Middle East.
A desperate enemy is also a dangerous enemy. And our work
may become more difficult before it is finished. No one can predict all the
hazards that lie ahead or the cost that they will bring.
Yet, in this conflict, there is no safe alternative to
resolute action. The consequences of failure in Iraq would be unthinkable.
Every friend of America in Iraq would be betrayed to
prison and murder, as a new tyranny arose. Every enemy of America in the world
would celebrate, proclaiming our weakness and decadence, and using that victory
to recruit a new generation of killers.
We will succeed in Iraq. We're carrying out a decision
that has already been made and will not change. Iraq will be a free, independent
country, and America and the Middle East will be safer because of it.
Our coalition has the means and the will to prevail. We
serve the cause of liberty, and that is always and everywhere a cause worth
serving.
BUSH: Now I'll be glad to take your questions. I will start with you.
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President.
Mr. President, April is turning into the deadliest month in Iraq since the
fall of Baghdad, and some people are comparing Iraq to Vietnam and talking about
a quagmire. Polls show that support for your policy is declining and that fewer
than half of Americans now support it.
What does that say to you? And how do you answer the Vietnam comparison?
BUSH: I think the analogy is false. I also happen to think that analogy
sends the wrong message to our troops and sends the wrong message to the enemy.
Look, this is hard work. It's hard to advance freedom in a country that
has been strangled by tyranny. And yet we must stay the course because the end
result is in our nation's interest.
A secure and free Iraq is an historic opportunity to change the world and
make America more secure. A free Iraq in the midst of the Middle East will have
incredible change.
It's hard. Freedom is not easy to achieve. I mean, we had a little trouble
in our own country achieving freedom.
And we've been there a year. I know that seems like a long time. It seems
like a long time to the loved ones whose troops have been overseas. But when you
think about where the country has come from, it's a relatively short period of
time.
And we're making progress. There's no question it's been a tough, tough
series of weeks for the American people. It's been really tough for the
families. I understand that. It's been tough on this administration. But we're
doing the right thing.
And as to whether or not I made decisions based upon polls, I don't. I
just don't make decisions that way. I fully understand the consequences of what
we're doing. We're changing the world, and the world will be better off and
America will be more secure as a result of the actions we're taking.
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. What's your best prediction on how
long U.S. troops will have to be in Iraq? And it sounds like you will have to
add some troops. Is that a fair assessment?
BUSH: Well, first of all, that's up to General Abizaid, and he's clearly
indicating that he may want more troops. It's coming up through the chain of
command. And if that's what he wants, that's what he gets.
Generally, we've had about a 115,000 troops in Iraq. There's 135,000 now
as a result of the changeover from one division to the next.
If he wants to keep troops there to help, I'm more than willing to say,
yes, General Abizaid.
I talk to General Abizaid quite frequently. I'm constantly asking him does
he have what he needs, whether it be in troop strength or in equipment. He and
General Sanchez talk all the time. And if he makes the recommendation, he'll get
it.
In terms of how long we'll be there, as long as necessary, and not one day
more. The Iraqi people need us there to help with security. They need us there
to fight off these, you know, violent few, who are doing everything they can to
resist the advance of freedom. And I mentioned who they are.
And as I mentioned in my opening remarks, our commanders on the ground
have got the authorities necessary to deal with violence, and will -- will in
firm fashion.
And that's what by far the vast majority of the Iraqis want. They want
security so they can advance toward a free society.
Once we transfer sovereignty, we'll enter into a security agreement with
the government to which we pass sovereignty, the entity to which we pass
sovereignty. And we'll need to be there for a while.
We'll also need to continue training the Iraqi troops. I was disappointed
in the performance of some of the troops. Some of the units performed
brilliantly. Some of them didn't. And we need to find out why. If they're
lacking in equipment, we'll get them equipment. If there needs to be more
intense training, we'll get more intense training.
But eventually, Iraq's security is going to be handled by the Iraqi
people themselves.
QUESTION: Mr. President, before the war, you and
members of your administration made several claims about Iraq: that U.S. troops
would be greeted as liberators with sweets and flowers; that Iraqi oil revenue
would pay for most of the reconstruction; and that Iraq not only had weapons of
mass destruction but, as Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld said, we know where they
are.
How do you explain to Americans how you got that so wrong? And how do you
answer your opponents who say that you took this nation to war on the basis of
what have turned out to be a series of false premises?
BUSH: Well, let me step back and review my thinking prior to going into
Iraq.
First, the lesson of September the 11th is that when this nation sees a
threat, a gathering threat, we got to deal with it. We can no longer hope that
oceans protect us from harm. Every threat we must take seriously.
Saddam Hussein was a threat. He was a threat because he had used weapons
of mass destruction on his own people. He was a threat because he coddled
terrorists. He was a threat because he funded suiciders. He was a threat to the
region. He was a threat to the United States.
That's the assessment that I made from the intelligence, the assessment
that Congress made from the intelligence. That's the exact same assessment that
the United Nations Security Council made with the intelligence.
I went to the U.N., as you might recall, and said, either you take care of
him, or we will. Any time an American president says, if you don't, we will, we
better be prepared to. And I was prepared to.
BUSH: I thought it was important for the United Nations Security Council
that when it says something, it means something for the sake of security in the
world.
See, the war on terror had changed the calculations. We needed to work
with people. People needed to come together to work. And therefore, empty words
would embolden the actions of those who are willing to kill indiscriminately.
The United Nations passed a Security Council resolution unanimously that
said, disarm or face serious consequences. And he refused to disarm.
I thought it was very interesting that Charlie Duelfer, who just came back
-- he's the head of the Iraqi Survey Group -- reported some interesting findings
from his recent tour there. And one of the things was, he was amazed at how
deceptive the Iraqis had been toward UNMOVIC and UNSCOM, deceptive in hiding
things.
We knew they were hiding things. A country that hides something is a
country that is afraid of getting caught, and that was part of our calculation.
Charlie confirmed that.
He also confirmed that Saddam had the ability to produce biological and
chemical weapons. In other words, he was a danger. And he had long-range
missiles that were undeclared to the United Nations. He was a danger. And so we
dealt with him.
And what else was part the question? Oh, oil revenues.
Well, the oil revenues, they're bigger than we thought they would be at
this point in time. I mean, one year after the liberation of Iraq, the revenues
of the oil stream is pretty darn significant.
One of the things I was concerned about, prior to going into Iraq, was
that the oil fields would be destroyed, but they weren't. They're now up and
running. And that money is -- it will benefit the Iraqi people. It's their oil,
and they'll use it to reconstruct the country.
Finally, the attitude of the Iraqis toward the American people -- it's an
interesting question. They're really pleased we got rid of Saddam Hussein, and
you can understand why. This guy was a torturer, a killer, a maimer. There's
mass graves.
I mean, he was a horrible individual that really shocked the country in
many ways, shocked it into a kind of a fear of making decisions toward liberty.
That's what we've seen recently. Some citizens are fearful of stepping up.
And they were happy -- they're not happy they're occupied. I wouldn't be
happy if I were occupied either. They do want us there to help with security.
And that's why this transfer of sovereignty is an important signal to
send, and it's why it's also important for them to hear we will stand with them
until they become a free country.
.....
And the other thing I look back on and realize is that we weren't on a war
footing. The country was not on a war footing, and yet the enemy was at war with
us. And it didn't take me long to put us on a war footing.
And we've been on a war ever since.
The lessons of 9-11 -- one lesson was we must deal with gathering threats,
and that's part of the reason I dealt with Iraq the way I did.
The other lesson is, is that this country must go on the offense and stay
on the offense. In order to secure the country, we must do everything in our
power to find these killers and bring them to justice before they hurt us again.
I'm afraid they want to hurt us again. They're still there.
They can be right one time; we got to be right 100 percent of the time in
order to protect the country. It's a mighty task.
But our government has changed since the 9-11 attacks. We're better
equipped to respond. We're better at sharing intelligence. But we've still got a
lot of work to do.
.....I also know that
there's an historic opportunity here to change the world. And it's very
important for the loved ones of our troops to understand that the mission is an
important, vital mission for the security of America and for the ability to
change the world for the better.
.....
QUESTION: Mr. President, thank you. You mentioned
that 17 of the 26 NATO members providing some help on the ground in Iraq. But if
you look at the numbers -- 135,000 U.S. troops, 10,000 or 12,000 British troops.
Then the next largest, perhaps even the second- largest contingent of guns on
the ground are private contractors, literally hired guns.
Your critics, including your Democratic opponents, say that's proof to
them your coalition is window dressing. How would you answer those critics?
And can you assure the American people that, post-sovereignty, when the
handover takes place, that there will be more burden-sharing by allies in terms
of security forces?
BUSH: Yes, John, my response is I don't think people ought to demean the
contributions of our friends into Iraq. People are sacrificing their lives in
Iraq from different countries. We ought to honor that, and we ought to welcome
that.
I'm proud of the coalition that is there. These are people that have got
leaders that have made the decision to put people in harm's way for the good of
the world. And we appreciate that sacrifice in America, and we appreciate that
commitment.
I think that one of the things you're seeing is more involvement by the
United Nations, in terms of the political process. That's helpful. I'd like to
get another U.N. Security Council resolution out that will help other nations to
decide to participate.
One of the things I've found, John, is that, in calling around,
particularly during this week -- I spoke to Prime Minister Berlusconi and
President Kwasniewski -- there is a resolve by these leaders that is a
heartening resolve. Tony Blair is the same way.
He understands, like I understand, that we cannot yield at this point in
time, that we must remain steadfast and strong, that it's the intentions of the
enemy to shake our will. That's what they want to do. They want us to leave. And
we're not going to leave. We're going to do the job.
And a free Iraq is going to be a major blow for terrorism. It'll change
the world. A free Iraq in the midst of the Middle East is vital to future peace
and security.
BUSH: Maybe I can best put it this way, why I feel so strongly about this
historic moment. I was having dinner with Prime Minister Koizumi, and we were
talking about North Korea, about how we can work together to deal with the
threat. The North Korea leader is a threat.
And here are two friends, now, discussing what strategy to employ to
prevent him from further developing and deploying a nuclear weapon. And it
dawned on me that, had we blown the peace in World War II, that perhaps this
conversation would not have been taking place.
It also dawned on me then that when we get it right in Iraq, at some point
in time an American president will be sitting down with a duly elected Iraqi
leader, talking about how to bring security to what has been a troubled part of
the world.
The legacy that our troops are going to leave behind is a legacy of
lasting importance, as far as I'm concerned. It's a legacy that really is based
upon our deep belief that people want to be free and that free societies are
peaceful societies.
Some of the debate really centers around the fact that people don't
believe Iraq can be free; that if you're Muslim, or perhaps brown-skinned, you
can't be self-governing or free. I'd strongly disagree with that.
I reject that. Because I believe that freedom is the deepest need of every
human soul, and if given a chance, the Iraqi people will be not only
self-governing, but a stable and free society.
.....
QUESTION: You have been accused of letting the 9-11
threat mature too far, but not letting the Iraq threat mature far enough. First,
could you respond to that general criticism?
And, secondly, in the wake of these two conflicts, what is the appropriate
threat level to justify action in perhaps other situations going forward?
BUSH: Yes. I guess there have been some that said, well, we should've
taken pre-emptive action in Afghanistan, and then turned around and said we
shouldn't have taken pre-emptive action in Iraq.
And my answer to that question is, is that, again I repeat what I said
earlier, prior to 9-11, the country really wasn't on a war footing. And the,
frankly, mood of the world would have been astounded had the United States acted
unilaterally in trying to deal with al-Qaida in that part of the world.
It would have been awfully hard to do, as well, by the way. We would have
had -- we hadn't got our relationship right with Pakistan yet. The Caucus area
would have been very difficult from which to base. It just seemed an impractical
strategy at the time. And, frankly, I didn't contemplate it.
I did contemplate a larger strategy as to how to deal with al-Qaida. You
know, we were shooting cruise missiles and with little effect. And I said, if
we're going to go after al-Qaida, let's have a comprehensive strategy as to how
to deal with it, with that entity.
After 9-11, the world changed for me, and I think changed for the country.
It changed for me because, like many, we assumed oceans would protect us from
harm. And that's not the case. It's not the reality of the 21st century. Oceans
don't protect us. They don't protect us from killers.
We're an open country. And we're a country that values our openness. And
we're a hard country to defend. And therefore, when we see threats overseas,
we've got to take them -- look at them in a new light. And I've given my
explanation of Iraq.
Your further question was, you know, how do you justify any other
pre-emptive action?
The American people need to know my last choice is the use of military
power. It is something that -- it's a decision that is a tough decision to make
for any president, because I fully understand the consequences of the decision.
And therefore, we'll use all other means necessary when we see a threat to
deal with a threat that may materialize. But we'll never take the military off
the table.
We've had some success, Bill, as a result of the decision I took. Take
Libya, for example. Libya was a nation that had -- we viewed as the terrorist --
a nation that sponsored terror, a nation that was dangerous because of weapons.
And Colonel Gadhafi made the decision, and rightly so, to disclose and disarm
for the good of the world.
By the way, they found, I think, 50 tons of mustard gas, I believe it was,
in a turkey farm, only because he was willing to disclose where the mustard gas
was. But that made the world safer.
The A.Q. Khan bust, the network that we uncovered thanks to the hard work
of our intelligence-gathering agencies and the cooperation of the British, was
another victory in the war against terror.
BUSH: This was a shadowy network of folks that were willing to sell state
secrets to the highest bidder. And that, therefore, made the world more unstable
and more dangerous.
You've often heard me talk about my worry of weapons of mass destruction
ending up in the hands of the wrong people. Well, you can understand why I feel
that way, having seen the works of A.Q. Khan. It's a dangerous -- it was a
dangerous network that we unraveled, and the world is better for it.
And so what I'm telling you is, is that sometimes we use military as a
last resort, but other times we use our influence, diplomatic pressure and our
alliances to unravel, uncover, expose people who want to do harm against the
civilized world.
We're at war. Iraq is a part of the war on terror. It is not the war on
terror; it is a theater in the war on terror. And it's essential we win this
battle in the war on terror. By winning this battle, it will make other
victories more certain in the war against the terrorists.
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President.
Sir, you've made it very clear tonight that you're committed to continuing
the mission in Iraq, yet, as Terry pointed out, increasing numbers of Americans
have qualms about it. And this is an election year.
BUSH: Yes.
QUESTION: Will it have been worth it, even if you lose your job because of
it?
BUSH: I don't plan on losing my job. I plan on telling the American people
that I've got a plan to win the war on terror. And I believe they'll stay with
me. They understand the stakes.
Look, nobody likes to see dead people on their television screens. I
don't. It's a tough time for the American people to see that. It's
gut-wrenching.
One of my hardest parts of my job is to console the family members, who've
lost their life. It's a chance to hug and weep and to console, and to remind the
loved ones that the sacrifice of their loved one was done in the name of
security for America and freedom for the world.
One of the things that's very important, Judy, at least as far as I'm
concerned, is to never allow our youngsters to die in vain. And I made that
pledge to their parents. Withdrawing from the battlefield of Iraq would be just
that, and it's not going to happen under my watch.
The American people may decide to change. That's democracy. I don't think
so. I don't think so. And I look forward to making my case. I'm looking forward
to the campaign.
Now's the time to talk about winning this war on terror. Now's the time to
make sure that the American people understand the stakes and the historic
significance of what we're doing.
And no matter where they may stand on this war, the thing I appreciate
most about our country is the strong support given to the men and women in
uniform. And it's vital support. It's important for those soldiers to know
America stands with them, and we weep when they die, and we're proud of the
victories they achieve.
.....
We are in a long war. The war on terror is not going to end immediately.
This is a war against people who have no guilt in killing innocent people.
That's what they're willing to do. They kill on a moment's notice, because
they're trying to shake our will, they're trying to create fear, they're trying
to affect people's behaviors. And we're simply not going to let them do that.
And my fear, of course, is that this will go on for a while, and
therefore, it's incumbent upon us to learn from lessons or mistakes, and leave
behind a better foundation for presidents to deal with the threats we face. This
is the war that other presidents will be facing as we head into the 21st
century.
One of the interesting things people ask me, now that we're asking
questions, is, can you ever win the war on terror? Of course you can.
That's why it's important for us to spread freedom throughout the Middle
East. Free societies are hopeful societies. A hopeful society is one more likely
to be able to deal with the frustrations of those who are willing to commit
suicide in order to represent a false ideology.
A free society is a society in which somebody is more likely to be able to
make a living. A free society is a society in which someone is more likely to be
able to raise their child in a comfortable environment and see to it that that
child gets an education.
That's why I'm pressing the Greater Middle East Reform Initiative to work
to spread freedom, and we will continue on that. So long as I'm the president, I
will press for freedom. I believe so strongly in the power of freedom.
You know why I do? Because I've seen freedom work right here in our own
country. I also have this belief, strong belief, that freedom is not this
country's gift to the world. Freedom is the Almighty's gift to every man and
woman in this world.
And as the greatest power on the face of the earth, we have an obligation
to help the spread of freedom. We have an obligation to help feed the hungry. I
think the American people find it interesting that we're providing food for the
North Korea people who starve.
We have an obligation to lead the fight on AIDS, on Africa. And we have an
obligation to work toward a more free world. That's our obligation. That is what
we have been called to do, as far as I'm concerned.
And my job as the president is to lead this nation and to making the world
a better place. And that's exactly what we're doing.
Weeks such as we've had in Iraq make some doubt whether or not we're
making progress. I understand that. It was a tough, tough period. But we are
making progress.
And my message today to those in Iraq is, we'll stay the course, we'll
complete the job.
My message to our troops is, we'll stay the course and complete the job,
and you'll have what you need.
And my message to the loved ones who are worried about their sons,
daughters, husbands, wives is, your loved one is performing a noble service for
the cause of freedom and peace.
......
QUESTION: Following on both Judy and John's
questions, and it comes out of what you just said in some ways, with public
support for your policies in Iraq falling off the way they have, quite
significantly over the past couple of months, I guess I'd like to know if you
feel, in any way, that you have failed as a communicator on this topic.
BUSH: Gosh, I don't know. I mean ...
QUESTION: Well, you deliver a lot of speeches, and a lot of them contain
similar phrases and may vary very little from one to the next. And they often
include a pretty upbeat assessment of how things are going, with the exception
of tonight. It's pretty somber.
BUSH: A pretty somber assessment today, Don, yes.
QUESTION: But I guess I just wonder if you feel that you have failed in
any way. You don't have many of these press conferences where you engage in this
kind of exchange. Have you failed in any way to really make the case to the
American public?
BUSH: You know, that's, I guess, if you put it into a political context,
that's the kind of thing the voters will decide next November. That's what
elections are about. They'll take a look at me and my opponent and say, let's
see, which one of them can better win the war on terror? Who best can see to it
that Iraq emerges a free society?
And, Don, you know, if I tried to fine-tune my messages based upon polls,
I think I'd be pretty ineffective. I know I would be disappointed in myself.
I hope today you've got a sense of my conviction about what we're doing.
If you don't, maybe I need to learn to communicate better.
I feel strongly about what we're doing. I feel strongly it's the course
this administration is taking will make America more secure and the world more
free and, therefore, the world more peaceful. It's a conviction that's deep in
my soul. And, you know, I will say it as best I possibly can to the American
people.
I look forward to the debate in the campaign. I look forward to helping --
for the American people to hear, you know, what is the proper use of American
power. Do we have an obligation to lead, or should we shirk responsibility?
That's how I view this debate.
And I look forward to making it. Don, I'll do it the best I possibly can.
I'll give it the best shot. I'll speak as plainly as I can.
One thing is for certain, though, about me, and the world has learned
this: When I say something, I mean it. And the credibility of the United States
is incredibly important for keeping world peace and freedom.
Thank you all very much.