For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 10, 2002
Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer
The James S. Brady Briefing Room
2:00 P.M. EDT
MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. Let me give you a report on the
President's day. The President began this morning with his usual
intelligence briefing, followed by an FBI briefing. And then he
convened a meeting of the National Security Council.
And then the President had a meeting with Prime Minister Sharon, of
Israel, in the Oval Office, followed by a luncheon in the Residence
with the Prime Minister.
And later this afternoon the President will sign into the law the
Gerald Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act, which lays out the groundwork
to provide assistance to a number of states, mostly in Eastern Europe.
And then this evening the President will participate and make
remarks at a dinner here in Washington, at the White House, of the
International Democrat Union leaders. This is a group of Europeans
that are mostly center-right, Christian Democrats focused on free
markets and on democratic capitalism.
And with that, I'm happy to take your questions.
Q Ari, did the -- the President this morning seemed to sign onto
the Israeli position in terms of what do you do first, do you try to
craft a peace agreement or do you reform the institutions first. He
said, first things first, we have to reform these institutions. Did he
go all the way over to Sharon's way of thinking, or am I reading too
much into --
MR. FLEISCHER: No, don't over-interpret. I think the President
was indicating that -- you've heard him say many times before he has a
concern about security in the region. And the President thinks one of
the most effective ways to provide for greater security is through the
reform of the Palestinian institutions, particularly its security
apparatus, to have a unified security apparatus with the Palestinian
Authority, therefore giving Israel and the Israeli people a better
guarantee that they'll be able to live in peace without suicide or
homicide bombings.
The President continues to believe that it's important for security
and political talks go hand in hand. And, in fact, during the course
of the meeting with the Prime Minister, the President did emphasize the
importance of seeing the political horizon, of searching for and
working toward political solutions. So he made that point.
Q But he seemed to indicate that the political horizon would
come after the reforms. Is he saying that you don't -- is he saying
unequivocally that you don't need to do the reforms first?
MR. FLEISCHER: No. That's why I answered your first question the
way I did. The President knows that the two go hand in hand, that it
takes progress on the political front as well as progress on the
security front.
But you've heard the President reflect from time to time that it's
easier to make progress on the political front if there is action taken
on the security front. So now, that's why -- you raise a good
question. Don't over-interpret what the President indicated, because
he talked about both during the meeting.
Q So rather than Sharon's position, he sees parallel tracks?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President does believe that you have to have
progress on both the political front and the security front, and the
two go hand in hand. And that's what the President discussed direction
with the Prime Minister.
Ron.
Q I want to pick up a couple things he said, then. Why would he
then say "first things first", and then talk about the need to reform
the Palestinian Authority? It was his words that said "first things
first," he put them --
MR. FLEISCHER: I think maybe he was just talking about the order
in which he was talking in the Oval Office. But that's why I'm saying
-- I recognize the words. But I'm saying to you, don't over-interpret,
because in the course of the meeting directly with the Prime Minister,
the President encouraged the Prime Minister to see the political
horizon. And the President emphasized the importance of making
progress on it.
Q And then secondly, when he talks about no confidence in the
emerging Palestinian government, what government is emerging there that
he has no confidence in?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think he's referring, again, to Yasser Arafat,
whom the President has said has disappointed him. The President, as he
indicated yesterday with President -- Saturday, with President Mubarak
at Camp David, the President indicated that he has high hopes for the
talent in the Palestinian Authority. So I'd urge you to look at that.
Campbell.
Q Well, he was also -- or seemed to, when he talked about that
in particular -- to be setting conditions for this international
conference or peace summit, whatever we're going to call it, this
summer. Are there specific conditions that he wants to see met before
we make a commitment to this conference?
MR. FLEISCHER: The State Department is still working on the exact
date of the conference. No month is set yet. Still working on the
exact modalities, as they say.
This conference, the President sees it, and so does the Secretary,
as one piece in a multi-piece process -- a multi- p-i-e-c-e process --
that leads up to a point where it's easier for the parties to come
together, the Israelis and the Palestinians, with the help of the other
neighbors, to achieve more progress on the political front. So the
conference is one piece of that.
Q But he also said -- not today, but earlier -- that he's going
to have more to say about this after he met with Sharon, after he met
with Mubarak.
MR. FLEISCHER: Correct.
Q Is it likely then that when they work out the modalities at
the State Department that that's what we'll be hearing from them,
here's our next step?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's possible, Campbell. Here's where the
President is now. The President has now concluded several meetings
that he's had with leaders of the Arab nations that have been in the
region, two of them, at least, who have recognized Israel legally,
recognized Israel's right to exist, signed peace treaties with Israel.
The President has had very productive conversations with the Arab
nations. The President has now had another constructive conversation
with Prime Minister Sharon.
I think the President wants to do a little thinking. I think the
President is going to talk to his advisors, and the President will
think about if there is an appropriate time or moment to have any
further reflections, and that's where he is. So I would lead you to
nothing immediate. That's where the President is.
And the importance of the President's April 4th address is
something the President keeps bringing up in all the meetings he has.
He did it with President Mubarak; he did it with Prime Minister
Sharon. Because the April 4th address in which the President impressed
on the nation and, therefore, directly with the three parties -- the
Arabs, the Palestinians and the Israelis -- the importance of taking on
their responsibilities still is the cornerstone to the President's
policy in the Middle East.
And I think one thing you've seen, particularly in the last two
months, after the Passover massacre, and then Israel's lengthy military
operations in the West Bank, is the President's message seems to have
been heard, that Arab nations are doing their part. They are working
very productively, in the President's opinion, to try to positively
influence reforms in the Palestinian Authority.
The Israelis, as well, have listened carefully to what the
President has said, and these are the steps that need to come together,
and they have. And now it's important to move beyond that, in the
President's judgment, to the political component, which is the
toughest.
Q Why is the President afraid to talk to a Palestinian, who
should have some say in their fate? I mean, might have productive
conversations with Palestinians as to their own future.
MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, if you're suggesting again that the
President -- if you're suggesting again that the President should talk
to Yasser Arafat, there's been no change in the President's position
about talking to Yasser Arafat. If he does so, I'll let you know.
Q Why?
MR. FLEISCHER: He dispatched Secretary Burns --
Q He is the leader of the Palestinian people, whether you like
it or not.
MR. FLEISCHER: And the President always enjoys talking with people
who have shown the President that they are capable of exercising the
leadership to get the job done to bring peace to the region.
Secretary Burns, at the President's direction and Secretary
Powell's direction, traveled to the Middle East just recently and he
met with Yasser Arafat. Director Tenet did, as well.
Q Why doesn't the President -- I mean, what's the problem?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think the President enjoys talking with people
who have earned his faith and trust.
Terry.
Q On another subject. When did the President become aware of
the case of Mr. Padilla, Mr. Al Muhajir, and what were the factors that
went into his decision to remove him from civilian custody to military
custody?
MR. FLEISCHER: Okay. As Attorney General Ashcroft said earlier
today, he had been -- Mr. Jose Padilla or -- had been tracked by the
United States as a result of concerns we had about him. The Attorney
General said that publicly this morning. So upon his entry into the
country on May 8th, the United States government had information about
him.
And during the course of events since May 8th, additional
information has been obtained about him. And throughout that process,
the President was kept informed. Last night, the President received
the recommendation of the Department of Defense, the Attorney General
and others that custody be changed from the Attorney General -- or from
the Department of Justice, I'm sorry -- from the Department of Justice
to the Department of Defense for the detention of Mr. Padilla.
Q So he now joins a fair number of people who are in a sort of
legal limbo, who, because of their perceived dangerousness and the
circumstances under which they were captured, obviously don't have
access to American civilian courts, and which apparently the government
has no intention of charging. Is it fair to say that Mr. Al Muhajir
and the others are going to be detained for the duration of the war?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think those determinations will be made by
the lawyers involved, by the people at the Department of Defense,
people at the Department of Justice. The President does not make those
determinations. The President concurred in the Department of Defense's
position that Mr. Padilla is an enemy combatant, and that's why the
President took the action, or concurred in the action and took it last
night.
Q But he has set up a system which now encompasses several
hundred people who are beyond the reach -- once again, because of the
perceived dangerousness of American protections of law -- and for whom
there seems to be absolutely no plan, except to hold and interrogate
them. Is that fair to say?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, I think you have to make a distinction
between an American citizen and people who are not American citizens,
and when you say "several hundred" -- I'm not aware of several hundred
Americans who are being held. That's a very important distinction.
But, for example, in the case of Yasser Hamdi who is being held --
he's an American citizen from Louisiana -- his case is being
adjudicated through the court systems. And so even with these steps
that are taken to protect the American country, there are legal
protections, legal rights, that are afforded.
Steve.
Q Ari, does the President see a future for a Palestinian
government with Arafat in charge?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President does not think it's the job of the
United States to pick the leader for the Palestinian people. The
President, as he's said many times -- he said it again to President
Mubarak and he said it to Prime Minister Sharon -- has been
disappointed in Yasser Arafat's leadership, or lack of it. And the
President thinks that the Palestinian people are the ones who suffer
most, because it's the Palestinian people who deserve a state. But in
order to have a state, it's important to have leadership that can
create a state. And the President does have hopes, though, that the
Palestinian people will have the leadership necessary to have a state.
Q But, Ari --
MR. FLEISCHER: Larry, we'll come back.
Q Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage now came back from
the Indian subcontinent. And he said that the tension may be defused,
but not the crisis. Now Secretary of Defense will be in the area, and
if President has a different message for him, for Secretary Rumsfeld
when he meets with the leaders of India and Pakistan?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think that's a very good description that the
Secretary gave of the situation. So long as there are two sides who
face off over a disputed area, a territory like this, tension will
remain at varying degrees and at varying points. Suffice it to say
there's been a substantial amount of American diplomacy, from the
Presidential level to the diplomatic level, and now Secretary Rumsfeld
will go as well.
This is a region of the world that will require ongoing monitoring,
and ongoing assistance to keep tensions at the level they are now down
to. And that's important and it will be ongoing.
Q Is the Presidential trip to India and Pakistan still on?
MR. FLEISCHER: There was never any announced or scheduled.
Q Ari, to go back to Arafat's role, the President was asked
directly whether or not he should, in fact, be expelled from the region
if these homicide bombings continue. The President did not answer the
question, he said, rather, that Arafat was not the issue. What is the
position of the administration?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, the position of the administration is that that
is not an answer to the problem in the Middle East; expulsion is not an
answer. But the President, as he indicated, does not see this as an
issue surrounding one person. The President sees this as an issue
fundamentally that comes down to the integrity, the reliability and the
honesty of institutions which are important institutions for the world
to have faith and confidence that a nation that may be born will be
governed, and governed well, and governed in peace. That's the issue
for the President.
Q And on the dirty bomb suspect, for weeks, for months, the
administration says it's been concerned the growing tension between
India and Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir would not allow Pakistan
to focus on going after al Qaeda cells. Is this a situation, is there
a concern from the administration that, in fact, this suspect was, in
fact, in Pakistan, had met with al Qaeda operatives, was trained
there? Is Pakistan not doing enough --
MR. FLEISCHER: I've heard no connection between the recent events
involving Pakistan and India and this case. I remind you, this person
was an American citizen.
Q Let me ask it more directly, are we -- can I ask a couple
questions? Are we concerned that Pakistan is not doing enough to make
sure guys like this aren't trained in Pakistan?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, again, I've not heard any connection between
those, so -- I mean, we all know that al Qaeda has trained people.
That is prior to September 11th, and these people received training and
that training, no matter what steps are taken now, can carry forward.
Even if they are no longer in the region, the training they received,
despite Pakistan's best efforts -- and the President is satisfied
Pakistan has taken strong efforts to help stop terrorism. But the
training they received prior to September 11th is still knowledge that
they've acquired.
Q Was there any cooperation between the countries in terms of
capturing him in the United States?
MR. FLEISCHER: You may want to talk to DOD or Justice about that;
I don't have that. It's possible; I just don't know.
I do want to say, because I think this is -- the Customs
Department, the FBI, the CIA -- this is a case of a government whose
actions worked, and worked well. And that is why, on May 8th he was
apprehended upon entry into the United States.
Ken.
Q Ari, earlier when you were commenting on Yasser Arafat, you
used the phrase, emerging government, in your comments. Is that
tantamount to the White House saying that it's disappointed with the
Cabinet reshuffle that Arafat --
MR. FLEISCHER: No, not tantamount to that.
Q What is the position on that?
MR. FLEISCHER: Position on that is there are many things that the
President will wait and see, to see if the Palestinian institutions are
going to form in a way that gives faith to the President and to the
neighborhood that a viable government can be formed there.
I think what's so important in this, from the President's opinion,
and such a departure, is you now, for the first time, have a President
of the United States who has held out that distinct possibility of the
creation of a Palestinian state. Having done so, this is a chance for
the Palestinian people and the Palestinian leadership to say, we want
to seize this moment; we see now an American President who will work to
help us get a state. And now it's important for the Palestinian
institutions to rise to that challenge, and for people who are
concerned about the integrity of Palestinian institutions, and
therefore the future of the Palestinian people, to seize that moment
and to act, because the possibility of a state is something the
President has held out.
Q Ari, but -- the President are using the phrase, rebuilding the
institutions first, or building the institutions first. Now, you've
identified --
MR. FLEISCHER: Or building. Building the institutions, is
probably more clear.
Q Thank you. You've identified security apparatus as one of the
key institutions, obviously. Can you give us an idea of some of the
other institutions?
MR. FLEISCHER: Absolutely. The other institutions the President
thinks are just vital are the things that people would naturally think,
if they're going to live in a country, that a country represents their
concerns. An education system that provides hope and education to the
children of Palestine. A health system. Agricultural system. You
know, if you travel to the region, you'll see a border, and on one side
of the border is green, and on the other side of the border is brown.
The land is the same. It's the infrastructure that allowed one side of
the border to be green while the other side is brown. These are all
the types of things that governments create for their people.
Jacobo.
Q Following up on Terry's question, that Jose Padilla, who is
now called Mr. Muhajir, seems to be the third person that was born in
the United States that had nexus with combatting the United States one
way or another, that he was now determined to be an enemy combatant.
Are the other two also in that category? Or is this a new category
just for Mr. Padilla?
MR. FLEISCHER: You may want to check with the lawyers on that. I
don't know what their other classifications were for John Walker Lindh
or for Yasser Hamdi. You'll have to check to get the legal term from
the people involved.
Q And my second question, Ari, if you would be so kind.
Yesterday there was some skepticism expressed by some legislators about
the President's proposal of creating the super ministry of internal
security. Is the President willing to work with these people, but --
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm sorry, what did you call it? The super
ministry of internal security? Which country is this? (Laughter.)
You mean the Department of Homeland Security?
Q Okay, Homeland Security --
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.
Q Whatever the terminology, is this going to be a --
MR. FLEISCHER: Gordon already has that title. (Laughter.)
Q -- a Cabinet post, a super Cabinet post, super ministry, like
-- and there's some skepticism that too many agencies are being
consolidated under one roof, while the intelligence agencies are
practically being left as they were. Is the President willing to work
with Congress in coming up to something that -- that they have to prove
after all.
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President of course is going to work with
Congress. This is increasingly going to become Congress's job to do
now that the President has proposed, it will become Congress's job to
consider. And it's not a small task and it will be a difficult task.
So, of course, the administration is prepared to work with Congress.
The plan that the President proposed was proposed because of the
desire to bring together those agencies that are most involved in the
protection of our homeland -- not in the intelligence gathering of
information, that is a different function -- but in the protection of
our homeland. There will be an analysis of intelligence information
within this agency. But those are the reasons that the President
proposed it.
Jean.
Q Ari, one quick one on the arrest and then I want to get back
to the Middle East. Was the President told May 8th, when -- is that
when he first --
MR. FLEISCHER: Around that time, Jean. The President has been
aware of this for weeks.
Q So he was told that this person had come into the country --
MR. FLEISCHER: Around that -- around that time. I don't have
exact date.
Q On the --
MR. FLEISCHER: And that information developed in the course of his
detention.
Q Right. And the President was given regular updates on the
tracking of this guy.
MR. FLEISCHER: That's correct.
Q On the Middle East. You've said the President wants to think
things through. Can you give us an idea of kind of what is he thinking
about? Is he thinking about time frames, or you also said -- or
specifically, is he thinking about how the United States can help to
rebuild these institutions --
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, think about this. Take the most recent
example. You had President Mubarak, who has played a helpful role;
Prime Minister Sharon, also a key piece of securing the future.
President Mubarak comes and visits the President at Camp David and says
the negotiations must begin with a definition of the '67 borders.
Prime Minister Sharon writes an op-ed in the New York Times saying the
'67 borders is not an acceptable beginning. So the President is
receiving opposite advice from two of the key people, both of whom have
stated their support for moving forward and making progress.
As is often the practice, it's the United States' focus to try to
bring people together in a case like this, and in doing so, diplomacy
takes time, communications takes time. There's a way to constantly
work with the parties directly, somewhat quietly sometimes, to help
bridge gaps so that when things are possible to move forward, they'll
move forward in an atmosphere where people who previously staked out
positions will be a little more willing to listen to each other.
And so, therefore, the whole diplomatic effort, the whole effort
about when it's appropriate, if it's appropriate, for a President to do
or say anything additional is a matter of time, takes time, takes
thought, takes deliberation.
Q When you said that the President -- that the Palestinian
people should seize this moment, that they see an American President
who is willing to help them create a state, are you talking about
anything concrete, or is it just the political rhetoric of helping them
create a state?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, it is concrete in the sense that the
Palestinian people deserve a government that is worthy of themselves,
which means a government worthy of creating a state.
Q But are we talking about --
MR. FLEISCHER: The United States does provide aid to
non-governmental organizations.
Q Yes, but I mean more of it --
MR. FLEISCHER: No, it's not a question of financial aid, as much
as it is a question of Palestinian reformers, people who are
representative of the Palestinian people, making the case inside the
Palestinian Authority that we can do better, there are steps we can
take to actually represent our people, and therefore enter the world
community.
Elizabeth.
Q Ari, you skipped the second row.
MR. FLEISCHER: I got everybody in the second row. You only put
your hand up late.
Elizabeth, then we'll come --
Q I was going to ask, because I wanted to go. What --
MR. FLEISCHER: Wait a minute. You can't ask a question and then
leave. (Laughter.)
Q Thank you, Ari.
Q When the President was --
MR. FLEISCHER: What about your colleagues' questions? (Laughter.)
Q Why are we being told now about this suspect, Mr. Padilla, if
the President was informed on May 8th? Obviously, you've known about
this guy for quite some time. Can you explain the timing?
MR. FLEISCHER: Right. Because, as I indicated, the information
was developed during the course of his detention. And then once the
decision was made to transfer from the Department of Justice to the
Department of Defense, it became the most opportune moment.
Q You didn't want to wait until the creation of the Department
of Homeland Security? I mean, this had nothing to do with the timing?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's correct. It did not.
Q On Friday, the administration announced that it was going to
exempt some of the products, steel products, from its tariffs in an
effort to appease the Europeans. It didn't work; they've today
announced that they are going to retaliate. Has the President asked
his advisors to have negotiations over compensation, to try to avert a
trade war? Or are we headed to a trade war?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think you need to take a careful look at
the action the Europeans took. It's far more complicated than your
question indicates. And let me -- let me try to post an answer in a
little more detail, but your question says only one half of the story
out of the EU.
Q Does he want them to have negotiation talks on compensation?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President views this as a matter that will be,
that should be settled through the dispute mechanism of the WTO.
Trade disputes are not new. And there is a mechanism that exists
in the WTO, that has been agreed to by all parties to the WTO, which
the European Union nations and the United States are party to.
Mark.
Q Ari, forgive me, I'm still confused on this, the Mideast peace
conference. You said State's still working on it. Is it still on for
this summer?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes.
Q And if that is the case, then -- the President was being asked
about that conference and said, well, the conditions aren't there yet.
What -- they're not there yet for what? What is it that he doesn't see
happening right now?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think, Mark, there will just be continued
conversations with the leaders of the various nations, so that when
they do come together in the ministerial level that talk can be as
productive as possible.
Typically, on conferences like this, parties come in in
diametrically opposite positions. These conferences can lead to a lot
of differences being expanded upon, rather than differences being
diminished. So there continues to be, as with any important
international meeting, groundwork that is laid, discussions that are
had, parameters that are discussed and, hopefully, differences that are
shrunk before a meeting takes place. That's the typical essence of
diplomacy before international confabs.
Q So the President was not casting doubt on this taking place?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, no. In fact, during the luncheon, the Prime
Minister and the Secretary and the President discussed the meeting.
Ed.
Q Ari, I just would like to set the record straight on something
the President said last week, when he was up at the NSA, when he was
asked about the report on global warming by the EPA. He said he read
the report. I believe the report is 260-some pages -- he meant he read
the full report?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think the President -- whenever Presidents say
they read it, you can read that to be he was briefed. (Laughter.)
Q Frankness. (Laughter.)
Q Refreshing. (Laughter.)
MR. FLEISCHER: I've enjoyed working here, thank you. (Laughter.)
Larry.
Q Ari, Prime Minister Sharon said today that he does not see a
partner for peace in the Middle East. Obviously, you know he was
talking about Arafat. From what the President said and from what
you've been saying, I take it you don't consider Arafat at this stage
to be a partner for peace?
MR. FLEISCHER: Again, the President is focused beyond any one
person. The President thinks that the ways peace gets put into place
and that nations get formed is through a variety of people working to
achieve that goal.
Q But because the President even again today said that, you
know, Arafat has disappointed him.
MR. FLEISCHER: Correct.
Q So, I mean, certainly you're not --
MR. FLEISCHER: Nations are not about just one person. No nation
was born because of the efforts of only one person and one person
only. Nations are born as a result of the efforts of many people, many
people who have good hearts and who do the right things for the reasons
of providing security and stability to the region in which they live
and to the people for whom they would serve. That's how nations assume
their proper place among the other nations of this earth. That's been
the history of nations that get created.
It's not unusual -- nations have been born as recently as the last
decade, there were new nations that were brought before us and are
members of the United Nations now, et cetera, and have assumed their
rightful position. The President will go visit one this November when
he goes to visit the Czech Republic. So there are ways that nations
are born. But in
all cases, those nations are born as the result of the goodwill and
the hard work of many people.
Q Ari, does he feel the same way about Israel as he does, then,
about the Palestinian Authority? That he looks beyond Sharon in
dealing with other people in the Israeli government?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think Prime Minister Sharon is the democratically
elected leader of a democracy. That's entirely different.
Sir.
Q Ari, the administration has been talking about reform and the
need of the Palestinians to stop acts of violence. But the
Palestinians -- I'm not sure if you agree or not -- may have a point
that acts like last night's incursion and re-invasion might make it
really difficult for them to stop acts of violence and to do the
reforms the administration has been calling for. And what's your
reaction to last night's incursion?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, as the President said -- well, first of all,
specifically on last night's incursion, the understanding the United
States has is that this is a limited operation that is designed of a
limited duration to go after specific terrorists. And given that
understanding, the American position has been and is, as the President
said in the Oval Office, that Israel has a right to defend itself.
Wendell.
Q There are a couple reports of concerns about the vulnerability
of the cargo carrying aspect of commercial airlines to terrorist
attacks. I wonder what your reaction is to them, and what the
administration has done in response?
MR. FLEISCHER: The Transportation Security Administration is in
the middle of a program that is focused on tracking and training. And
this is an ongoing effort to improve our ability to protect the nation
from any type of harm that could come in the form of cargo.
Q Does that mean that these reports don't raise a sense of
urgent alarm?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, there's -- I think it's safe to say, Wendell,
in a nation as big as ours, with as much commerce, with as many people,
with borders that are as open as they are, at many different points
there are issues of concern. There will always be, in an open society
like ours. It's a given. It's also what makes us strong, what makes
us free, and why we win.
Within that, there will be ongoing efforts -- through the
Transportation Security Administration, through the Customs Department,
through a variety of agencies -- to always beef up, protect and
improve. And particularly since September 11th, with additional
funding that was made available as a result of the supplemental passed
by the Congress last year, additional steps have been and will continue
to be taken.
Specifically on the issue of cargo, it involves tracking programs
to know what type of cargo is coming in, and training programs to
educate people who do the work at the inspection facilities for what to
look for, how to look for it, as well as technology, too, that helps
make the job easier.
Connie.
Q Today's event reinforced the fact that it's obvious that the
hatred of the United States continues among those disaffected born here
and those from the outside. Is the White House trying to take any
meaningful steps to try to change opinion around the world? Or is it
just giving up and going to just go on in a defensive mode?
MR. FLEISCHER: I want to separate the two, because yes, the United
States is continuing to take steps involving public diplomacy and
global, communications across the globe -- which is important, to share
what America does and why we do it, in an effort to keep building
bridges around the world.
But I think you have to separate that from what's happened here
with the arrest of Mr. Padilla. You know, the legal basis actually for
his -- detention, I should say, the detention of Mr. Padilla -- the
legal basis for his detention goes back to a Supreme Court case in
1942, a time of powerful national unity, when two Americans were
arrested and tried for being Nazi saboteurs in the middle of World War
II.
So in a nation as large as ours, will there be a rare American who
engages in acts that are not in our national interest? Unfortunately,
yes. But our laws, our precedents, are set up to help protect the rest
of us from those people.
Q In the President's meeting with Mubarak, did he mention human
rights at all? Was that brought up? And, secondly, what happened to
General Zinni in the peace process? Is he still involved?
MR. FLEISCHER: General Zinni still is involved. And as you know,
there have been, as a result of all the ongoing meetings that the
President has dispatched people to the region, there have been other
people who are lending a helping hand as well.
I don't have General -- you've asked me this question repeatedly
about General Zinni's itinerary. I don't keep it. I have my hands
full keeping track of other itineraries, so --
Q -- Mubarak and human rights?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'd have to take a look at the full meeting. I was
in portions of that meeting, so I'd have to take a look at the full
meeting and see if we have anything on that.
Peter.
Q Ari, what does the President view is the future status of the
U.S. military force in the Philippines? Some officials in the
Philippines are asking that it be expanded and extended, especially
following what happened in the past few days there.
MR. FLEISCHER: The President thinks it is very important for us to
have a continued helping hand toward the Philippines as they see fit;
that, as the President said on March 11th, on the six-month anniversary
of the attack on our country, the next phase of this war has begun, and
the next phase is denying our enemies sanctuary from where they can
rebuild in an effort to hit the United States again.
And therefore, the United States, in the Philippines and in other
regions of the world, has made perfectly clear to these governments
that the United States stands ready to help, we stand ready to train if
that's necessary, to equip if that's necessary, to actually help these
nations involved in any operations that they're assuming, if that's
what they desire.
Q Helping hand as they see fit, are you saying they're going to
define what the role is in --
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, of course, the United States wants to do that
cooperatively with foreign nations.
Q Ari, since the arrest of this suspect on May 8th, have there
been any other similar people being arrested for detention who may have
not been --
MR. FLEISCHER: You may want to talk to the Department of Justice
about that.
Q Has -- been informed of any other similar arrests --
MR. FLEISCHER: It's possible, I don't know. It's possible.
Q President Arafat, according to Palestinians, is the only --
directly elected leader -- he got 85 percent on the vote, a bit more
than -- I would like to know if President Bush has ever met with a
Palestinian delegation of any kind, and would he meet with a good
delegation of officials that negotiated before Oslo, before the --
before the foreign ministers meeting --
MR. FLEISCHER: Representatives of the United States government
continue to meet with Palestinians, have done so many times in the
past, will do so again. And I remind you, early in 2001, the President
did speak on the phone with Mr. Arafat.
Q What is next for the Middle East -- after meeting with Barak
and Sharon, do you expect something to be done from the other side, or
--
MR. FLEISCHER: Jean asked that question earlier, and I did
answer. Sir.
Q Albert Einstein once wrote this, "you must begin to inoculate
the children against militarism by educating them on spirit and
passivism." And I got that quote from a book by -- one of the
Washington Post reporters, on how to teach peace. I was wondering if
the President agrees with the -- that we should take a portion of the
$700 million we spend every day on military and teach kids peace,
passivism and not violence?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think if you asked the President that question he
would tell you that much of what the United States government does is
aimed at peace and avoidance of violence. Our diplomacy is in every
form of it. The fact that we have a military is done to prevent
violence from taking place.
It's only when our nation has run out of any alternatives that our
nation engages in the protection of its citizens through the use of
military force. As a result of what happened on September 11th, our
nation did what our nation had no choice but to do, which is to protect
this country and to bring justice to the people who were attacked.
Q What is the President's position regarding Prime Minister
Sharon's position about that the right way is to go to interim
agreement, not for a final status agreement? That was raised up in the
conversation. Did he give him any answer to that?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President welcomes the fact that the
leaders in the region, even with differing specific ideas, are focused
on ideas that involve peace. That's what the President welcomes. The
President is looking at the political horizon, encouraging people to
engage in events that make political solution the inevitable solution.
And that's where he stands.
Q There are reports that this dirty bomb was intended for
Washington. Do you have any specific about what that --
MR. FLEISCHER: I think that was addressed earlier by officials,
who said that this was -- I think it was Secretary Wolfowitz who put
it, that this was initial planning stages and not an actual plan, and
they had no information about that.
Q Ari, two questions following on that. Why -- did this not
rise to the level where it would have required change in this color
coded warning system, given that?
And the second question is, the President said last week he would
have something to say to the nation after meeting with President
Mubarak and Prime Minister Sharon. Are there any more details --
MR. FLEISCHER: That's not what the President said.
Q No, that is what the President said. He said he hasn't
figured out how he was going to do it yet, but he said --
MR. FLEISCHER: That's correct, right. So it could be a paper, it
could be some other -- I go back to the answer I gave Jean -- that
question has been asked already.
We'll go to John, and then Lester.
Q Do you have any information --
MR. FLEISCHER: On your question about the color code -- I'm sorry
-- on the color code, again, as Secretary Wolfowitz said, that this is
not an actual plan, this was initial planning steps. So, therefore,
no, it would not have been appropriate to change the color.
John.
Q On that, do you have any information that Muhajir and/or his
associates had acquired or had a reliable source for radioactive
material?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, we have no information that suggests that it
advanced beyond planning stages.
Lester.
Q Last July, Robert Shultz of "We The People," began a hunger
strike to defend his rank -- to petition the government for a redress
of grievances with the IRS. When this got national media coverage,
both the Justice Department and IRS promised to meet with Shultz and
his advisors and hold open meetings, which promises they have refused
to keep since 9/11. And my question is, will the President direct them
to keep that promise, or not?
MR. FLEISCHER: Lester, I'm not familiar with the specific case,
and these questions are decided by the people involved.
Q In 1995, Texas Governor Bush signed a bill allowing anyone
over 21 without a criminal record to have a permit to carry a concealed
weapon. And my question is, how can President Bush allow Messrs.
Mineta and Magaw to keep disarming all pilots when the head of the
62,000-member Airline Pilots Association had pleaded for the right to
be armed, because if terrorists take over one of our planes, it's now
Bush administration policy to have jets shoot it down? And could you
please tell us, Ari, what the President thinks, rather than trying to
direct me to Democrat Mineta and Clinton appointee Magaw?
MR. FLEISCHER: Lester, the President thinks that there should be
one standard
Q --
MR. FLEISCHER: Lester, the President thinks there should be one
standard, and that is public safety. And that is why he signed that
measure in Texas to enhance public safety. And that is why relying on
the security experts who came to the conclusion that allowing airline
pilots to carry weapons aboard airplanes would not represent public
safety, and so he supported that recommendation.
Q Air marshals carry them.
MR. FLEISCHER: Lynn.
Q Thank you. This morning at the briefing -- this is back on
the suspect -- you were not able or couldn't provide more information
just about who this person is. Can you help flesh out those few
details, the age, the schooling, just a little bit more about this
person? The FBI said that they were reluctant to disclose anything.
MR. FLEISCHER: Any of that information would come out of the
Department of Justice or the Department of Defense.
Q Is there any reason why --
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I mean, it's just not something the White House
would, as a matter of routine, do when the agencies are the ones to
talk to about that.
Q Thank you.
END 2:37 P.M. EDT
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