For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 19, 2002
Press Gaggle by Ari Fleischer
Crawford Elementary School
Crawford, Texas
12:43 P.M. CDT
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, good morning. I would like to welcome
everybody back to Crawford, for those of you who are rotating in. For
those of you who are the wiley Crawford veterans, welcome home where
you belong.
Nagourney, haven't decided which category you fit into yet. You're
a wiley veteran who is now rotating in.
I also want to just this morning greet and welcome our guests who
are here to watch interaction between government and the press.
Welcome to the Press Filing Center.
Okay, I just have a very brief opening, just give you a little
update on what the President did this morning. It's been a quiet day
at the ranch. The President went for a run earlier this morning, then
he proceeded to have his regular briefings and then he has just gotten
in from working the land, and he'll stay at the ranch for the remainder
of the day.
And, with that, if I have any questions I can answer, I'll be happy
to try to help you.
Q Ari, yesterday on the TV shows, Bartlett said Bush may
decide, quote, that we need to take action to minimize the threat that
Saddam now poses. Is that implying that the administration is looking
at something less than neutralizing Saddam, maybe just air strikes,
rather than actually looking to remove him?
MR. FLEISCHER: Were you able to hear the question? I know Scott
McClellan was reluctant to repeat each question. In an effort at
outreach, I will be happy to repeat each question. (Laughter.)
Scott's on vacation. I have no fear he'll read the gaggle.
The question was that on a show yesterday that Dan said that the
United States -- and I think Adam's word was minimize, describing Dan,
minimize the threat from Hussein. Is that an indication that the
administration wants to minimize instead of I think you said the
word neutralize.
The answer is one in the same. I'm not going to speculate about
any potential next steps. However, the President has been very clear
that Saddam Hussein continues to pose a threat to peace and it's a
threat that the President intends to continue to consult with leaders
about, continue to talk to the Congress about, as he makes up his mind
about what is the best way to deal with the threat posed by Saddam
Hussein.
Q Can you frame for us the meeting on Wednesday with all
those participants, and should we take this as a planning council for
action on Iraq?
MR. FLEISCHER: The question was, can I frame the meeting the
President is going to have on Wednesday. On Wednesday, the President
is going to have a meeting with Secretary Rumsfeld. The Vice President
will be here, a few others. And the purpose of the meeting is to talk
about transformation of the Defense Department.
If you remember, before September 11th, this was a major priority,
something the President established as a top priority as a candidate.
And then there was a lot of work under way throughout 2001 focused on
transformation. In fact, if you remember back to last August, the same
meeting took place in August of 2001 here in Texas. You can roll your
tapes and you will find many of the same characters who are coming this
week were here last year for a similar meeting.
This is part of the policy planning process, particularly heading
into the budget cycle which will begin in earnest in the fall, heading
into the winter months. And so the Department of Defense will come
down here with an eye toward the big issue of transformation, the big
picture point of view.
I think the topics that will be likely discussed will be missile
defense and its ongoing role as part of protecting America. Clearly,
in the current context, unlike last August, the United States has now
withdrawn from the ABM treaty. The United States is free to proceed in
a more vigorous fashion, a more robust fashion, to develop a missile
defense to protect the country. We also anticipate discussion at
Wednesday's meeting about budgets for the Pentagon, looking into the
future. And so that's the type of the meeting that it will be.
Q You do not expect Iraq to be discussed at all, Ari?
MR. FLEISCHER: No.
Q Not even in the context of budgets and planning? I mean --
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I mean, the meeting really is just like last
year. The purpose is to talk big picture, big policy about the Defense
Department, particularly the transformation. This is an
over-the-horizon, big picture look at the needs of the Defense
Department. You know, General Franks is not going to be here, and
General Franks' theater of operation includes that region. So the
short answer to your question, Mark, is, no.
Now, can I guarantee you that that word will never come up? No, of
course not. But the purpose of the meeting, the focus of the meeting,
is much bigger than that.
Q Any press coverage of that? Can we get some sort of
readout from Dr. Rice --
MR. FLEISCHER: I'll let you know. I'm working on that now,
talking to the President about that. So there will be some element,
yes. Exactly what it will be is unclear today.
Q It would damp down some of the breathless speculation about
what might be going on.
MR. FLEISCHER: That question -- that wasn't a question, that was a
statement, referring to rampant speculation, as the savvy reporter put
it savvy reporter's words.
Q Ari, do you know whether the President has spoken to Brent
Scowcroft or any of his critics on the Iraqi situation?
MR. FLEISCHER: I don't know if the President has spoken to him or
not. But I tell you, the President doesn't look at the many voices
that he's hearing about Iraq as critics; he looks at them as thoughtful
people who have a lot of experience, who also recognize the menace
that's posed by Saddam Hussein, the threat that is posed. And he views
this as a constructive part of a process where the country benefits
from a variety of thoughts and opinions, much of which are much closer
to what the President is thinking than I think some of the reports have
been.
John.
Q Ari, on that point, does he or the Secretary of Defense or
anyone worry about the possibility of sending mixed signals about U.S.
resolve, if you're Saddam Hussein sitting there, seeing this debate?
MR. FLEISCHER: No. The President is sending one signal, and it's
a clear signal that, as the President has put it in many of his
speeches, time is not on our side. Saddam Hussein left unchecked has
shown a willingness in the past to use weapons, including weapons of
mass destruction, and that regime change is the stated bipartisan
policy of our country and he's committed to it.
And the President views the hearing that Senator Biden held, the
debate that is percolating across the country, as a very important part
of our democracy. It's part of what keeps the American people informed
and it keeps the American people in support of the policies that the
President has articulated. The American people support regime change
because they recognize the threat that Saddam Hussein poses.
I think the American people also recognize that they've elected a
President and the President has surrounded himself with a security team
that is wise, that is deliberative, and that is strong. And it's a
team that will act to protect our country.
Q Ari, shifting gears a little bit, the President keeps
calling for his energy plan. Oil prices are reaching $30 a gallon. Is
the President giving any thought to releasing the strategic oil
reserves?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President is giving a lot of thought to the
importance of Congress finishing what is unfinished to date, and that
is development of a comprehensive energy plan for the country. The
President thinks that when Congress comes back, in the few short weeks
that they have remaining, that Congress has got to finish the
President's agenda, and that includes action on energy. The President
would be very disappointed if Congress momentarily reacted to the calm
that has been part of the energy markets for the last year, and did
nothing. That would be a big disappointment.
The problem with energy is that our nation overreacts to price
spikes, up and down, and then Congress does nothing in between. We are
at an in between period right now in the energy -- with energy prices
and for the country. It's not a period of calm for the Congress to do
nothing. It's a warning that there could be risks ahead in the
markets, and that Congress needs to act to protect the American people
from energy prices. And that's why a comprehensive energy policy is
necessary.
Q So I take that as no, he doesn't support opening up the
reserves?
MR. FLEISCHER: No. The reserves are meant for times of
emergency.
Katy.
Q Has the President decided on a new economic package to
present Congress, you know, when they get back in session?
MR. FLEISCHER: And by the way, because this is the tradition of
the gaggle, and I have not gaggled since the happy news, I'd like to
congratulate you on gaggle record.
No, the President has not made any decisions. The President
continues to review the economic data. The President continues to
review the information he received at the economic forum here in Waco,
and the President continues to review some of the policy options that
are under review, to make a determination about when or if he will
advance anything specific on economics.
Q Have those summary reports already made it to his desk, or
are they still being compiled and sorted?
MR. FLEISCHER: In the printed sense, I don't know the answer,
whether it's presented to him formally. But in the sense of been an
active conversation, that is an active piece of conversation that his
advisors continue to have with him.
Q You said his goal is to have something before the end of
the session? Some new stimulus package, is that a goal of the
administration?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President has not made a decision.
Q It's possible we won't have one.
MR. FLEISCHER: He hasn't made a decision.
Q Who is representing the United States at the earth summit
in Johannesburg?
MR. FLEISCHER: We will have an announcement at some point,
possibly today -- so you do not have a lid yet -- about exactly who
will be representing the United States at the meeting.
Q At what conference?
MR. FLEISCHER: At the conference in South Africa.
Mark.
Q Ari, what was the thinking last week on the release of the
list of names of guests who have stayed the night at the White House?
I remember early in the administration you said the President felt that
these were private guests and you would not release them.
MR. FLEISCHER: No, we released it last year as well. We released
it in request -- we had a number of requests from media organizations,
and so it was released I think a month or two months earlier than it
was at the corresponding point of this year. And again, we've had
ongoing media questions about it, and so we compiled a list and put it
out.
Q What about Camp David? Are you going to release the list
from Camp David?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'll have to take a look at that. I don't know the
answer to that question.
Q Ari, there are reports that Abu Nidal has been found dead.
Can you guys confirm those reports, and do you have a reaction?
MR. FLEISCHER: I've noticed the reports, and I cannot confirm
anything at this time.
Q On what?
MR. FLEISCHER: Abu Nidal.
Anything else?
Q Do you guys have any comment on --
MR. FLEISCHER: Jennifer, welcome on your maiden -- is this your
maiden voyage?
Q It is. I'm glad to be here.
MR. FLEISCHER: Welcome.
Q Does the White House have any comment on the security
agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians?
MR. FLEISCHER: As you know, one of the most important focuses of
the President's efforts in the Middle East has been on security. We
welcome this step, we welcome this announcement. This is a
constructive part, along what has been a difficult process. And the
ongoing talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians, the American
effort to help buttress security arrangements, as well as constructive
efforts from others in the region are welcome. And we hope this is a
sign of more welcome developments to come.
Q Along those lines, another pair of parties, over the
weekend, Russia forged an economic cooperation agreement with Iraq. Is
that a concern to us in our new relationship with Russia?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, keep in mind under the United Nations
sanctions, which were amended in the spring, early summer, with the
help of Russia, trade with Iraq is permitted, so long as it complies
with the United Nations sanctions. The category of goods which are
able to be traded legally with Iraq was expanded. And that was done
with the United States and Russia working shoulder to shoulder in the
United Nations, to change what the President called the Swiss cheese
sanction regime. We fully expect that Russia will live up to its
obligations to the United Nations and to the international community.
Q Has he spoken to President Putin about this?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I don't believe he has.
Is there anything else?
Q Sorry, one more. Does the President support efforts to
revive legislation to limit damages on asbestos suits that are facing
some 200,000 related asbestos suits?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not familiar with that, so I'll have to look
into that.
Q What was the question?
MR. FLEISCHER: Does the President support efforts to provide --
limit liability dealing with asbestos.
All right, thank you, everybody. It was good to see you again.
END 12:58 P.M. CDT
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