For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 9, 2003
Press Briefing with Ari Fleischer
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
2:32 P.M. EDT
MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. Let me give you a report on the
President's day, and I'm happy to take your questions. The President
this morning began his day with a breakfast with the congressional
leaders. It was with the Speaker of the House, the Majority Leader of
the Senate, Minority Leader of the House, Minority Leader of the Senate
and the Majority Leader of the House. The President talked to them
about the latest developments in the war and continued the bipartisan
consultations that he committed to.
He had an intelligence briefing, followed by an FBI briefing,
convened a meeting of the National Security Council, and met with the
Secretary of Defense. He had a meeting with the President of the
Slovak Republic, where he discussed the importance of the strong ties
the United States has to Slovakia. He thanked the President of the
Slovak Republic for their strong support in the war on terror and in
the operation to disarm the Iraqi regime.
And let me also address a question I was getting from many people
earlier this morning about whether the President watched the events on
TV that the nation has watched. At 10:45 a.m. this morning, the
President watched live television coverage of the attempts in Baghdad
to topple the statue of Saddam Hussein. At the time he was also
briefed on what transpired earlier on TV where the Iraqis climbing on
top of the statue, the arrival of the U.S. vehicle, and prior to that,
the Iraqis celebrating in the streets.
He watched this briefly from the outer office of the Oval. He had
previously been in a meeting of the National Security Council in the
Situation Room, and also in a meeting in the Oval Office with the
Secretary of Defense, so he had not yet had an opportunity to see
this. After his meeting with the President of Slovakia, at
approximately 11:20 a.m., the President returned to the area right
outside the Oval Office, where the statue had already come down and he
watched it dragged through the streets of Baghdad. He walked out, saw
it on the ground, and exclaimed, "They got it down."
He watched with interest for a few moments, and his reaction, I
think is fair to say, is one of both caution -- a measure of caution,
but also an expression of the power of freedom that we are seeing in
the streets of Baghdad, with the Iraqi people who yearn to be free.
One announcement for you. The President will meet with President
Roh of the Republic of Korea on May 14th. The President looks forward
to welcoming President Roh to the White House to reaffirm the enduring
strength of our 50-year alliance with the Republican of Korea, and to
discuss how our two nations can cooperate as full partners to bring
about a peaceful resolution of the North Korea nuclear issue, the
reinforcement and development of the United States-Korean alliance, and
the promotion of bilateral economic ties.
And with that, I'm happy to take your questions.
Q A lot of people are going to watch these events and assume
that the war is over.
MR. FLEISCHER: The war is not over.
Q Can you tell us what one, two, three, four, five, six things
that need to happen before the President can address the country and
say the war is over?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, first of all, it's much too premature to even
speculate about that. From the President's point of view --
Q You've already said it's not over. I'm asking you what is
it that would have to happen for him to be able to declare the war is
over?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President urges all Americans to remember --
there are two reactions the President had to this morning's wonderful
news and the signs of Iraqis in the streets celebrating freedom and
toppling the statue of Saddam Hussein. The President's reaction is
twofold and you cannot separate one from other.
The first is a message to the American people that we still need to
be cautious because we still have our Armed Forces in harm's way; there
still is fighting ahead of us; that there remain cities, particularly
in northern Iraq, that are not in the same position as cities in
southern Iraq or portions of Baghdad. And so, therefore, the President
remains very cautious, to protect the lives of the men and women in our
Armed Forces who remain in the middle of a military mission, where
fighting can still break out at any moment and where not everyone has
surrendered.
The President's second message is something that he's talked to the
American people about repeatedly, and that is that the long-suffering
Iraqi people yearn to be free, and that this is an operation of
liberation. And until the military situation is brought to an end --
and it is not, it still is underway -- and until the other aspects
that the President laid out involving liberation have taken place, I
would make no predictions about what the President might say or when.
Q I'm not asking you what time, and I'm not asking you when,
and I'm not saying that the war is over. I'm not looking for a
reaction to his events today. You already said that very
articulately. What I want to know is, what specifically -- what
other goals will have to be accomplished before he would declare that
the war is over?
MR. FLEISCHER: You know, I think it goes back to what I said at
the very beginning, Ron. The President has said that this is a
military mission, that the military remains in harm's way, and until
the military mission is accomplished, I don't think the President is
going to be at that point in his own mind.
Q What is the military mission that has to be accomplished?
MR. FLEISCHER: There still is fighting that could lay ahead.
Q The Vice President said today in his speech that there would
be a meeting on Saturday of the Iraqi exiles in Nasiriyah, a town in
southern Iraq. Does this signal the beginning of the interim
government authority?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, it does not. It does not. And I think the
Vice President has subsequently updated his statement to indicate that
it will be sometime after Saturday, not on Saturday. There will be, as
you know, a whole series of plans that have been in place, and meetings
and discussions have been taking place about the future of the
government of Iraq, to be based on work by the Iraqi people from both
inside and outside Iraq. A meeting of free Iraqis will take place very
soon, and the time of the meeting will depend on a number of factors,
including the security situation on the ground.
Q But you're sending a political signal if you bring them into
Iraq to meet, right?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I don't dispute that. I think that when the
meeting takes place, it will be a very powerful signal about the future
of Iraq, that there are people from both inside and outside Iraq who
care about their country and who will be able leaders of their
country. And we don't know all the names of all those people yet.
Certainly, not everybody who will be at this meeting will represent all
of those who will eventually be a part of Iraq.
Q That's the question -- who goes?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes, as I indicated, we can't -- we don't know
all the names of all the people yet. The invitations to the meeting
will be sent by General Franks. As you know, there have been a
carefully-laid series of plans made for the reconstruction of Iraq with
General Garner on the ground in the region. He reports to General
Franks.
Q Ari, how will we know when the regime is really toppled? In
other words -- I mean, this may seem obvious, but is it a simple
matter of geography? Is it a matter of, we may not be able to find
Saddam Hussein, but we know -- the people we trust have control of
all their weapons? How do we judge that?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think from the President's point of view, one, he
will be guided very much by the military analysis provided to him by
General Franks, General Myers, and Secretary Rumsfeld. And by that, I
mean the President will be looking toward what indications do we have
of resistance left in the country. And as I indicated, the President
this morning cautioned that there are cities in the north that are not
like the cities in the south, where there still are pockets of
resistance. We don't know how organized that resistance is. It may be
organized.
And so, one, I think the President will be guided by the military
advice he gets, about operational facts on the ground dealing with the
capability of Iraqis to resist. That will be a crucial factor.
And then I think it will also be something along the lines of as we
start to see Iraqis emerge -- which we're starting to see in a
rolling way in different parts of Iraq. As security is perceived as
being increased, as the threat of Saddam Hussein returning diminishes,
we start to see increasing numbers of Iraqis turn out on the ground to
start helping in civilian affairs and administrative affairs. So I
think it's a combination of those two, principally.
Q It's clear that this government would like to kill Saddam
Hussein, and we've tried on a couple of occasions. We don't know the
status of that. If it can be determined by commanders on the ground
that he no longer has a command and control function or authority, is
he an irrelevancy at that point, even if he's a war criminal in the
estimations of this government?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I think that if you put yourself in the place
of an Iraqi citizen, they would like to see closure. I think that
would be helpful to the people of Iraq. Certainly, we would like to
have certain knowledge about Saddam Hussein's fate.
In a bigger point of view, though, I think there is a larger point
here outside literally is what is Saddam Hussein's fate, which is a
relevant matter. But the bigger point is the Iraqi people can already
see it and taste it; their day of freedom has arrived and it is
coming. And they make that judgment under their view of whether or not
the regime, whether it's typified by Saddam Hussein or is broader in
the security forces, have gone and evaporated. That's, I think, how
they approach it.
Q If I can just return to this question -- is it a measure of
success of the campaign that he's either captured or killed?
MR. FLEISCHER: Again, I think it lends clarity to matters, but it
alone will not determine the success of the campaign. I think you're
starting to see the success of the campaign on the streets of Baghdad.
Q Do you not declare victory until he's captured or killed?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President will declare victory when the
President thinks it's appropriate time.
Q The International Red Cross says that the hospitals are
horrific with -- filled with casualties. And I wondered whether
we're going to bring any of the wounded, especially the children, here
for hospitalization, medical care?
MR. FLEISCHER: With all respect, that still is an operational
issue. I think when you talk to DOD, they will tell you they have
taken care of many wounded Iraqis. They're in facilities of the United
States military or --
Q Being taken care of now?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes.
Q A couple questions. First, the mood, overall, here in the
West Wing -- there's been a lot of criticism and sniping from this
room and elsewhere since the war began of the war plan, of the
expectations before the war, and what administration officials are
saying. Any feeling of vindication, or "I told you so"-ness?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, from a personal point of view, all I can say
is I'm always glad to be embedded with you.
Q Oooohh!
MR. FLEISCHER: What's wrong with that?
No, Terry, I think -- again, my job is to speak for the
President. And when I talked to him very early this morning, even
before the statue came down, and the President was aware of the scenes
of jubilation as people were dancing in the streets of Baghdad, and
then as the statue came down, the President has shared his two points
of view. And, again, it's the caution on the one hand; but it is for
the President a real revelation that when he says -- and he said this
repeatedly leading up to war -- that mankind wants to be free and that
includes the Iraqi people, that that is a doctrine that is not the Bush
doctrine, it is not an American doctrine, it is a God-given doctrine,
and that all people everywhere, if given the ability to throw off a
repressive government, would want to do so.
And the President is heartened by what he is seeing on the streets
of Baghdad because he knows it means that people are becoming free and
that the Iraq people deserve their place in freedom, just like
everybody else.
Q On another issue, the Secretary of Defense said today --
cautioned Syria once again for what he said were indications that they
were accepting high-ranking Iraqi officials and perhaps contraband.
We've heard cautions against Iran. In other words, first, is Syria
next? And if not, what is the message that your President wants the
regime change in Baghdad to send to countries like Syria and Iran?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think this is something that Secretary
Rumsfeld addressed at his briefing today, and the message is rather
simple, and that is that, whether or not the United States is at war or
is not at war, Iraq has been under sanctions. And the message to all
nations, whether it's Syria or anybody else, is that it's important to
obey the sanctions -- not to provide military equipment or anything
that is banned to the government of Iraq. That is made even worse by
the fact that the United States is at war with Iraq for them to engage
in that type of behavior. And under any circumstance, it is behavior
that is wrong and ought to be stopped.
Q Ari, the administration has been saying that it's demanding
unconditional surrender from Iraq. But at this point, who do you
accept surrender from? And is it beyond that point of a formal sort of
surrender?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, there still is -- are military
efforts underway. There can be fighting ahead. And so, again, I don't
want to get drawn too far down that road. I couldn't tell you from a
legal point of view whom that party must be. I think that, as I
indicated earlier, the President will be guided by the advice he gets
from his military planners about what the military situation is on the
ground, whether or not there still are days ahead when there will be
fighting, or whether or not the country has been pacified.
Q So you're still seeking a surrender, an Iraqi surrender?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President's terms are exactly what he
laid out when he went to CENTCOM and spoke about nothing less than
total victory. Because total victory means total freedom for the Iraqi
people everywhere in Iraq; not just in some cities, not just in certain
religious areas in the Shiite communities, but everywhere, in all
communities for the Iraqi people. That's what the President is focused
on in this mission. That also will enable us to make certain that the
regime is fully disarmed everywhere, in all their hiding places
anywhere.
Q Okay, secondly, Ahmed Chalabi seems to be emerging as the
public face of an Iraqi interim leadership. He's talking to news
outlets, and so forth. Is that a role the U.S. is comfortable with?
Do you see him that way, as an interim leader?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think there are going to be any number of
people who emerge as playing different leadership roles, and I'm not
prepared to start naming names of one or another. There will be,
literally, hundreds, if not thousands, of names of Iraqis who emerge in
all regions of the country to take leadership into their own hands.
And that's a good sign.
Q So he's not designated, or likely in your view?
MR. FLEISCHER: He is one name of many people who yearn for a free
Iraq and are prepared to help make it happen.
Q Ari, so we are going to expect, we should expect a statement
or a speech from the President declaring that the war is won?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I was asked about a speech by the President. I
said I can't speculate about whether there would be a speech by the
President or not.
Q That's not a yes or a no. It's a maybe?
MR. FLEISCHER: Just the President's reminder is that we're still
in the middle of a war, and I think it's premature to get into that.
Q Why was the meeting in Nasiriyah delayed? Was there
trouble? Was it because of security considerations -- the meeting of
the Iraqi exiles and the Iraqis?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I'm not aware that it was delayed. There
will be a meeting sometime after the 12th.
Q The Vice President said it was going to be the 12th, but now
it's not.
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes -- I think his staff worked with reporters
about that afterward.
Q And how are the exiles going to get to that meeting? Is the
government going to provide transportation?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's an operational question still. You'd have
to talk to the people on the ground there. But I think it's fair to
say that when -- people are prepared to go far for freedom. And it's
a wonderful thing to see how many people, from both inside Iraq and
outside Iraq, want to play a role in helping Iraq become a democratic
country, a free country, and a country that does not use torture or
tyranny to treat its people. And however they get there, the world
should rejoice by the fact they're going.
Q You're not going to fly them over?
MR. FLEISCHER: I don't know. I don't do travel arrangements. DOD
will --
Q Well, it's not travel arrangements, actually, but --
MR. FLEISCHER: I just, I don't know the answer. It still --
there still are going to be a series of questions that are operational,
even regarding the reconstruction effort. Keep in mind that Retired
General Garner reports to General Franks, and there still is a chain of
command as far as the reconstruction goes. And this is part of the
military mission. Built into the military mission was prudent planning
for what could lie ahead involving the reconstruction and the freedom
if Iraq. That is still part of the military chain of command.
Q At what point can the people of Iraq expect the formation of
an interim authority?
MR. FLEISCHER: I still think it's too soon to say. I think that
as a result of the strong progress that's being made, their hopes are
going to be realized. And I think they're going to be realized sooner,
rather than later. But I can't be more specific.
Q Then who is in charge of Iraq today?
MR. FLEISCHER: Iraq is a country that still is in the middle of a
war, and we don't know if Saddam Hussein is alive or not. But I think
it's increasingly fair to say -- it's not a question of who is charge
of Iraq, but what is in charge of Iraq. And what is in charge of Iraq
is the taste of freedom. And that's what's driving the Iraqi people.
Q Ari, if I may ask you a related question -- at what point
will the regime of Saddam Hussein be disarmed? That is, what do you
mean by disarmed in the sense that you've been using it in this room
for seven months?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President always made clear that
disarmament applied to weapons of mass destruction -- biological
weapons, chemical weapons, and any infrastructure for the development
of nuclear weapons. That's what the President has always referred to
as disarmament. That's his focus, and that's what he refers to.
Q Ari, you said earlier today that today is an historic day.
Secretary Rumsfeld mentioned earlier today, evoked the Berlin Wall.
Does the White House see this as the geopolitical earthquake,
tantamount to the Berlin Wall falling in the Middle East?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, the President continues to urge
caution. And so I'm not going to go beyond what I have said. I think
historians will make judgments about what today means. But today
certainly marks a wonderful day for the Iraqi people as they pursue the
freedom to which they are entitled.
Q I have a question, too, about northern Iraq is going to be
increasingly the focus of any further fighting. How much --
MR. FLEISCHER: You cannot forget what you're watching in Baghdad
is that which the camera lens can show you in Baghdad. Baghdad is a
large, large city in terms of people and size. There are other areas
of Baghdad that are dangerous areas of Baghdad where fighting can still
take place. So I just urge caution on you. And still, certainly, in
parts of the south, efforts are still underway, although, no question,
thank goodness, tremendous progress is made.
Q But I still think it's reasonable to say that they'll be --
increasingly, the focus is in the north. What's going to happen in the
north? There's still fighting there. How much concern is there that
if the Kurds take control of the oil fields, that that could invite
Turkey to, perhaps, move into northern Iraq? They have threatened to
do so. And what contacts are there with Turkey right now?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, for I think almost a month now I've
been asked questions about has Turkey crossed the border, has Turkey
crossed the border? And every day the answer remains, no. And this is
as a result of some very good diplomacy that's been conducted between
the United States and Turkey. And because of Turkey's desire to make
certain that there was not a humanitarian crisis in the north, they had
talked about the need to potentially go into a small area of the
border. And no humanitarian crisis has resulted in the north. And so,
therefore, that predicate does not come into play.
We continue to work very collaboratively with the Kurds. And they
understand our message. And the message is that the territorial
integrity of Iraq must be preserved, and we mean that.
Q Ari, following up on Elizabeth's question. There's a very
clear perception around the world that the administration has given a
leg up to Mr. Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress. The
administration flew in members of the INC into Iraq over the weekend.
In advance of the meeting, does the administration plan to fly in other
Iraqi exiles? And if not, then how do you answer that perception that
we are, in fact, giving him a leg up over the others?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, it's a DOD matter about who is flown
in or who is not, and I don't speak for that. But my point was that
the world should rejoice that people want to leave wherever they are to
go back into Iraq, and to welcome all of those who are participating in
helping Iraq find freedom. And as I indicated, he is one, among many
people, who are going to be playing a role in helping Iraq become
free.
Q But he's the only one that you've airlifted in so far, so are
you going to airlift in the others?
MR. FLEISCHER: I don't know that is the case. This is a DOD
matter, and I think it's an easy question for you to ask DOD. I just
don't know that that's the case, that that's an accurate statement, or
not.
Q So the war -- you're not ready to say the war is over yet.
Is it fair to say that there is a complete collapse of central
authority in Iraq?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think those are operational matters and I think
the operational people will talk about that.
Q That's an operational matter?
MR. FLEISCHER: Sure.
Q To what extent has the administration figured out what it
will take, in terms of legal authority, for Iraqis to begin to sell
oil, which, of course, would make it easier for them to begin their own
reconstruction and to get services back up?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the lawyers will talk about these type of
matters. But what's important from the President's point of view is
that the Iraqi people are put in a position as quickly as they can,
they take their own position as quickly as they can to be in charge of
their own resources, of their own ways and their own means. And I
think you will increasingly see that start to happen, and that would
include Iraq's resources, such as oil.
Q Now, there are still U.N. sanctions against the sale of oil,
except under oil-for-food.
MR. FLEISCHER: Correct.
Q Does the administration intend to go back to the U.N. either
to get those sanctions lifted, or any number of other issues, including
who might be the representative of Iraq at the United Nations? What
plans do you have for --
Q Well, one, as a result of the actions that the President
thanked the Secretary General and the United Nations Security Council
for in their passage of the reauthorization of the oil-for-food
program, as amended, many of these issues have been taken care for an
interim period of time so that the oil can begin to flow from Iraq as
soon as they are able.
But the President looks forward to the day when sanctions are
removed on the Iraqi people. The only reasons the United Nations
imposed sanctions on Iraq were because Iraq failed to comply with
Security Council resolutions and, therefore, the Iraqi regime invited
the sanctions on itself. The Iraqi people were not deserving of
sanctions; the Iraqi regime had the sanctions imposed. So the
President looks forward to the day when those sanctions can, indeed, be
removed and Iraq can trade just like any other nation on Earth.
Q But is there a sense that there's a need to go back to the
U.N.? And, if so, what is the first task that the U.S. would take up
with the United Nations regarding Iraq?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the United Nations has already been involved
in Iraq. As you know, Kofi Annan announced a Special Representative to
Iraq, and his name is Mr. Ahmed, and he has significant experience and
expertise that we believe will prove invaluable in assisting in the
humanitarian needs and the reconstruction needs of Iraq. So the United
Nations has quite a bit of expertise in this area. We're pleased with
the appointment of a special United Nations representative and they
will, indeed, play a vital role.
Q But you have no plans at the moment to go back to the
Security Council at any time in the near future for any sort of
authorization or endorsement of any particular group? I'm trying to
figure out what the next step is for the United Nations.
MR. FLEISCHER: No, if you go back to the statement that the
President and Prime Minister Blair said in the Azores, it talks about
the endorsement of interim authority. The President talked about the
role of the United Nations in helping to discuss the membership on the
IIA. And as well as, of course, any time, if there's a discussion of
sanctions being removed, the United Nations Security Council has to be
the entity to do it.
Q Ari, yesterday, when the President was asked about the vital
-- to describe the vital role that he envisioned for the U.N. in a
postwar Iraq, he mentioned food and medicine and the delivery of
humanitarian relief. But he also talked about the U.N. helping to
stand up -- what was the phrase here I think he used -- the interim
authority. I'm wonder if you could tell us a little bit about how that
would work beyond the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think what the President says specifically
on that is suggest names for the interim authority. And we welcome
that participation by the United Nations.
Q Wait a minute, so it's just names? That's it? He just
suggested people and then that's the extent of which they help out the
interim authority?
MR. FLEISCHER: Number one, this role is significant when you talk
about humanitarian relief, when you talk about aiding and
reconstruction, when you talk about suggesting of names. This is
significant. But I want to remind you, as Kofi Annan has said, the
United Nations does not want to own Iraq. The United Nations,
according to Secretary General Annan, does not want to administer
Iraq. That is not the role the United Nations seeks for itself.
The President and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom believe
that the Iraqi people are very capable people, are well-educated
people, that the infrastructure of Iraq was a strong infrastructure
below the level of the Baath Party regime. As a result of the military
operation, much of that infrastructure remains in place. So the focus
is on the Iraqi people and what they can do for themselves, with
assistance from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United
Nations.
Q Ari, in the Middle East, symbolism plays a major role. You
said the President watched part of what was happening to the statue.
When the Marine hung the American flag over the head of Saddam Hussein
briefly, what did the President feel as Commander-in-Chief? Did he
feel that is something that could have caused problems in the region?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I think that when you talk about the message
that people are going to remember from today, even in all regions of
the world, the message they're going to remember today is the Iraqi
people toppling the statue -- the United States was there to help, of
course, but the Iraqi people -- the toppling of the statue, and the
Iraqi people dragging the statue through the streets, and a message
that is unmistakable in the Arab world, the Iraqi people throwing shoes
and attacking the statue with their shoes. That speaks volumes.
Q And a second question, Ari, getting away a little bit from
the Iraq subject. The President meets tomorrow with the five
Presidents of Central America. You have initiated negotiations for a
free trade agreement with the region, which you expect to finish this
year. From the program I've seen, is the President going to meet with
all his staff -- the Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of
the Treasure, Condoleezza Rice. What importance does the President
attach to this free trade agreement? Is this part of the overall trade
agreement with Latin America?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President looks forward to tomorrow's
meeting with the representatives of the Presidents of the Central
American nations for many reasons. Trade is a crucial part of the
United States' relationship with those countries. And the President is
very proud of the fact that trade is increasing with those countries
and their adherence to the principles of free trade. And the President
also welcomes them for its partners in democracy. Many of these
nations are new democracies, and the President is very proud of the
fact that we will continue to work with them on areas where we are
increasingly neighbors who share values.
Q I have a follow --
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm going to keep moving.
Q Is the President concerned that these weapons of mass
destruction that Saddam supposedly has might have been smuggled out of
the country? And do you have any reports that they might have been
brought somewhere else where they could get into the hands of terrorist
groups?
MR. FLEISCHER: No. That, again, remains an operational matter.
And I don't think you're going to see -- there's nothing to report
new or different on that front. The reason that we repeatedly said
that he has biological or chemical weapons prior to the war beginning
was because we had information saying that he did. And we remain
confident in that information. We're still in the middle of a military
campaign. And as, increasingly, people provide us with more
information, I think you'll hear more.
Q Is there anything new to report on the tests that were made
on some of those materials --
MR. FLEISCHER: You need to ask DOD.
Q Ari, what will the United States do to Iraqi diplomats who
are, Baath Party members, just -- obviously, folks aligned with the
regime? What's going to happen to them?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, of course, the United States does not have
direct diplomatic relations with Iraq. So when you talk about are
here, that's not a question of bilateral --
Q -- there in the city. They're in the country.
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, that would be a question for -- under the
way it works in international diplomacy, the new leadership of Iraq
will take that question up. It is the new leadership of Iraq, once
constituted, that will appoint its representatives to a body like the
United Nations.
Q Just so I understand, what you're saying is the new
leadership will decide what's going to happen to them, whether they get
pulled back? It will not be a United States' decision?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's typically how it works. I'm not aware of
anything else in this instance. As you know, we did ask -- expel a
number of Iraqi diplomats in New York at the beginning of hostilities.
Q A follow, if I may?
MR. FLEISCHER: We're going to keep moving. Everybody's getting
for or five in today. We got to --
Q I only got one question.
MR. FLEISCHER: Look how many people are behind you. We'll try to
come back.
Q Ari, getting back to the question Ron opened the briefing
with -- in his briefing a little while ago, Secretary Rumsfeld was
very clear, like you are, in saying that the war is not over yet. But
he was also clear in listing some criteria. And he listed the capture
or elimination of Saddam Hussein and his sons. So one question is, are
there differences of opinion here between you guys and Secretary
Rumsfeld as to what constitutes the end of hostilities regarding the
fate of Hussein?
Secondly, he issued a fairly clear warning, again, to Syria,
warning them not to do things in any way that would aid the remnants of
the Hussein regime. What specifically was he talking about there?
MR. FLEISCHER: One, as you recall, I said that the President will
be guided about operational matters about when the war is over,
military matters, by hearing from General Franks, General Myers, and
Secretary Rumsfeld. So I explained that that's what the President will
listen to.
Q Can we interpret that, then, to extend to Rumsfeld's remarks
about Hussein this afternoon?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I'm not going to make a prediction about
every factor the President may hear or weigh in on. But, of course,
the President values the advice he receives from the Secretary of
Defense.
And the second part of your question dealt with --
Q Syria.
MR. FLEISCHER: Syria. I have nothing further to add beyond what
the Secretary said and what I said earlier on that.
Q Let me come back to the Iraqi authority -- interim Iraqi
authority and timing, Ari. I'm still not clear and I think we still
heard things both ways from the administration. Are we waiting until
hostilities cease before setting up this authority? Or will there be
an attempt to do it gradually, as conditions warrant?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think the security situation on the ground
will definitely be a factor in the timing and in the exact location of
when this first meeting will take place. This will be the first
meeting of what will promise to be many meetings. And I think you will
see the number of people will grow over time, as events on the ground
allow a number of people to participate, particularly from inside
Iraq.
Q So this meeting, whenever it takes place we should consider
the effective beginning of the interim Iraqi authority?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I think at the time that the meeting is called
you receive a full explanation of it and what it means and exactly at
what stage we are. And I think it's very hard here today, on the day
where there is still fighting in Baghdad, still fighting to come in the
north, to get into exactly what will happen at this first meeting.
It's not yet scheduled. It will happen sometime soon, I anticipate,
but I really can't predict it yet.
Q Just in answering Mike's question, at the moment, the
coalition military, to the extent that it controls Iraq, is running
Iraq. And the question is when are they going to hand off to somebody
else?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I don't think you should look at it as if
it's that crisp a passing. This will be an important beginning, but
it's a beginning on a continuum. It's not a stark beginning and end.
And you said the military is running Iraq. Well, there are many areas
of Iraq that are not run by the United States military or the coalition
or the allies. There are areas of Iraq that are still dominated by the
Baath Party, and there is still fighting ahead.
So I think that you may see some type of continuum, an evolution to
this, not a stark passage from one moment to the next. I said earlier,
it will be an important beginning, there's not question about it, when
this meeting takes place.
Q Ari, going back to two issues that you've -- that were
raised earlier. The Iraqi resources -- i.e., oil -- there's
concern that with our efforts to create this democratic, this new
democratic regime, there will be an issue of have and have-nots. How
will the administration try to prevent this society of have and
have-nots? Who's to determine who's to get this oil versus who will
not?
And, also, you're saying it's a God-given --
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not sure I understand your question. Have and
have-nots?
Q Who's going to get the contracts? Who's going to deal with
oil in Iraq. And, secondly, you were talking about this Iraqi
God-given freedom. Does this God-given freedom substantiate the
killing of its leader versus exile or capture?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think Saddam Hussein has chosen his fate
for himself. The President provided Saddam Hussein a very visible and
public opportunity to leave the country to avoid hostilities, and
Saddam Hussein did not choose to accept that. And, therefore, a
military operation ensued and command and control are indeed targets of
this military operation, no doubt about it.
On your first question, I think there will be any number of
entities that will be involved. Of course, if it's the United States
government, it's the agency that is doing the contracting and have
their criteria, which they follow. The United Nations has its
oil-for-food program, where they make contracting decisions about who
is delivering the food and the money is then received in an United
Nations escrow account.
And, certainly, the day is coming where the Iraqi people will make
their own decisions about who will get contracts for their own
resources. And they will make their decisions about who they want to
thank for helping them in their liberation.
Q But, Ari, part of the reason why the United States military
is in Iraq now is because of the situation of luxuries by certain
people in Iraq, including Saddam Hussein, people in his family and
what-have-you. But there is a concern that this administration could
possibly -- not to the same extent, but could possibly wind up
creating another situation of have and have-nots. How will the
administration completely prevent that situation from happening?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think what you're going to see is, as
freedom takes root in Iraq, the Iraqi people answer that question for
themselves, as they establish a government that we hope will be based
on principles of democracy and rule of law and fairness and
opportunity. The Iraqi people, as I've said many times, are a very
educated population. And I think the President has very high levels of
faith in the ability of the Iraqi people to govern themselves and make
these decisions for themselves. That's how they will assume their
right role in the world as a self-governing country.
Q Yes, Ari, two quick ones. You said the U.S. will not be an
occupying force, but would the President like to see U.S. military
bases established in Iraq, as they are in many other parts of the
world?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm just not going to get into any speculation
about things like that down the road. We still are in the middle of a
war. I just can't guess whether the answer to that is yes, no, or who
knows.
Q Now, on a question of contracts, do you expect that U.S. and
U.K. firms will have the advantage in bidding for future contracts?
MR. FLEISCHER: You need to talk to the contracting agencies for
what their criteria are. You need to talk to the United Nations for
what it's criteria are, and have been for the oil-for-food program.
They have their own rules and regulations already.
Q In 1989, then President Bush was criticized for not showing
enough emotion when the wall fell. Is this a Bush family
characteristic, to be cautious in great moments -- this historic
moment?
MR. FLEISCHER: What you have to keep in mind about what you've
seen today is, today is a momentous day for freedom in Iraq. It's a
day where a statue fell and a statue was dragged through the streets in
a powerful expression of freedom by the Iraqi people. And it fell in
the middle of a shooting war, and we remain in the middle of a shooting
war. The President looks forward to speaking out. The President is
filled with joy for the fact that the Iraqi people will soon be free.
And I assure you, this President, as he has done repeatedly throughout
this, will speak out. But I urge you just to keep today in context.
Q Ari, you said the situation, in general, is still dangerous.
What would be your advice for the independent journalists that are
covering the story in Baghdad after the incident we saw yesterday? And
I also understand that the Red Cross will get into Baghdad to take the
bodies of the correspondents that died yesterday. That will be my
second question -- the United States will help in any way the Red
Cross to take the bodies?
MR. FLEISCHER: Okay. On the first question, there are a great
many brave people in Baghdad and in Iraq today. The men and women of
our Armed Forces are brave people who are in Baghdad today. The Iraqi
people who want to be free are brave people in Baghdad today -- and
so, too, are the journalists from around the world who have gathered to
follow events and to tell the truth about what has happened so the
world can know.
And journalists received a warning prior to the war about what a
dangerous place it was, and every loss of life is regrettable. And the
President joins the nation in mourning all of those who have lost lives
in this conflict. The only advice I can provide to journalists whom
I've worked with -- I knew very well two of them who died -- was
that they do the world a service by providing journalism in the middle
of a conflict, and it's a dangerous service. And they have to continue
to take the advice they receive and to be careful, that it is a war
zone.
Q Ari, has the administration looked into and formed an opinion
about the legitimacy of the conviction of Ahmed Chalabi in Jordan for
embezzlement in connection with --
MR. FLEISCHER: I have no specific information about that and I
don't have anything for you on that.
Q Ari, what's the level of concern here about a dangerous,
potentially dangerous power vacuum developing? We've already had
reports that as the troops have moved out and moved on, Baath Party
elements have moved back in to try to exert control.
MR. FLEISCHER: Again, the President has urged everybody to be
cautious because we still are at war. But I also want to make a
broader point here, and this is something that we have seen now for
some three weeks of this conflict, and that is that there is a tendency
to watch every event as if it is a sine curve, that goes from
exuberation to despair and back and forth again. And I've seen it go
from exuberation to despair in 12 hours, 24 hours. And that's why the
President believes what's important is for the American people to be
steady in their observations about a nation that is still at war.
And there are dangers ahead. The dangers can come from many
different areas. The dangers can come from organized bands fighting
our military. The dangers can come from the fact that there is a
shifting of power inside Iraq. But the bottom line remains the same:
Whatever shifts may take place, the shift is on the way to freedom.
And that's the message that is going to hearten the Iraqi people as
they assume that place of freedom. Yes, there are risks for them,
too.
Q If I could just follow on that notion. There have been lots
of reports of looting in Basra, in Baghdad. So far, it's been party
and government facilities. But if that should spread, is it the
administration's intention that the American forces on the ground would
become some kind of a civil authority, a civil patrol?
MR. FLEISCHER: Anything operational you need to talk to DOD about
on how they will handle what's a security matter on the ground. They
expressed their judgment earlier and they said they see the situation,
as far as security, as improving.
Q Can I ask a question, Ari? The President put out a statement
earlier today saying that he was -- he commended the Senate for
passage of his faith-based bill, or portions of it. It was a very
scaled-down version, though, from his initial proposal. Is he
convinced now that some of those provisions are simply too ambitious to
get through the Senate?
MR. FLEISCHER: And if you see the second paragraph in the
President's statement you'll see he referred to the fact that he would
like additional progress to be made on this important legislation. But
as a result of an executive order that the President issued up in
Philadelphia last year, many of the areas of the faith-based initiative
have now been put into effect through executive order. So, for people
on the ground who are low-income, who are looking for sources in their
communities that can provide them care and help, they have it, thanks
to the change the President made in the executive order.
His preference would be that it gets codified by an act of
Congress. The Congress has chosen not to do that, but for the people
on the ground, at least thanks to the executive order, they will
receive those benefits. He is appreciative of the Congress for
passing -- or the Senate today for passing the tax aspects of that it
will make it easier for the American people to contribute to charity
and get a deduction.
Q I have two questions, if I may. With the war in Iraq almost
over, what lies ahead in the Middle East? Second question, how long
will the U.S. military remain in Iraq after victory and how many
troops?
MR. FLEISCHER: On the second question, the "how many," you need to
talk to DOD about. The President has said repeatedly they will stay
there as long as is necessary, but not a day longer. Our commitment is
for the long-term to make certain that we help the Iraqi people to win
the peace. And the President has committed to doing that; that's part
of the mission and we will do that.
On your first question, I anticipate that the day will come soon,
as Abu Mazen is confirmed and appoints his cabinet, when the road map
will be released.
Q You just referred to winning the peace in Iraq. How do you
define winning the peace in Iraq?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think that that's going to be a matter that
you will see emerge as freedom takes root in the ground of Iraq; as
Iraqi people emerge from both inside Iraq and from outside Iraq to take
control of the Iraqi institutions; as the Iraqi regime is no longer;
and as the people of Iraq recognize that they should be a people led by
a government that is a disarmed government, that does not have or
pursue biological or chemical weapons; a government that treats its
neighbors with peace, not with belligerence. And this will be as the
peace emerges, that will be how people see that the peace is won.
It is a process. And it is a process that will take some bit of
time. And it's a process that can be marked by unsteady times, too.
Nobody has said that as progress is made there won't be any setbacks in
any areas of Iraq. There certainly will be.
Q Does the administration agree with -- or the White House
agree with Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge that the government
should consider paying the costs of installing anti-missile devices on
commercial airliners?
MR. FLEISCHER: I saw that report this morning, and I looked into
it. And I don't believe that's quite what he said. He said that we're
continuing to work with the Congress and explore a number of
technologies that can help make it safe for travelers to fly. And
there are a series of items that are being looked at. That is one item
that is being looked at among many, and no conclusions have been
reached.
Q Should the government pick up those costs?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's something that is being looked at and talked
about as a series of technologies that may be put in place to help
protect the airlines, and other security steps that are taken to
protect airlines, as well, that don't only involve defenses against
MANPADS.
Q Ari, the House Republican leaders want to delay the budget
-- decision on the tax cut for several months. Does the President
agree with this decision? Or does he want the American people to get
-- as he says, get their money back now?
And secondly, you said that the day of Iraqi freedom has arrived
and it is coming. Which is it? Has it arrived? Or is it coming?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think it depends on where you live. That's
exactly the point I was making about, there are different regions of a
very large city. Certainly, if you were one of the people who was
dragging the statue of Saddam Hussein today through the streets of
Iraq, that person felt that freedom, indeed, had come today. There are
other people who may live in a different region in Iraq, or a different
neighborhood in Baghdad who might not feel that way. And so they're
both accurate and they're both -- this is my point, it's not as if
there are stark simplicities that exist on the ground in Iraq. You're
going to see pockets of different behavior by different people. But
there's no question that today was an important day for the people of
Iraq.
On your question about taxes, in fairness, it really is just the
opposite. The Congress is approaching very quickly final decisions on
a budget resolution. If they are able to reach agreement on a budget
resolution today or this week, it will be one of the fastest times ever
that the Congress reaches a decision on a budget resolution. And for
the tax bill, itself, of course, the work on the tax bill cannot begin
until the budget resolution is in place. So Congress is actually ahead
of its schedule, no matter what decision they make on the budget
resolution and exactly what form the budget resolution takes.
Q -- not to agree on the tax part of the bill in the budget
resolution as a way of getting the budget resolution moving --
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, they're continuing to talk about that. But
that's not akin to a delay. They would still have an agreement on a
budget resolution. The exact type of taxes that would be cut would be
considered in regular order, just as it's always done. And then the
House and Senate would have to reconcile it.
Ken and then Jim.
Q Thank you, sir. We all know about the warnings that the
Iranians have received -- I'm talking about the governments now --
the Syrians. Can you give us an idea of what kind of steps are being
taken outside of Iraq with groups within those countries, like, for
instance, the Mujahideen in Iran, Hezbollah, Syria and Lebanon. Can
you just give us an idea of what the United States is doing to try to
keep them from crossing the border and --
MR. FLEISCHER: I don't have anything to add beyond what the
Secretary has said.
Q Ari, what is the administration's view of what is happening
in Cuba?
MR. FLEISCHER: With the dissidents, and the repression of the
dissidents? It's an action that the United States has spoken out very
strongly against. This is symptomatic of the dictatorship of the Cuban
regime, and we condemn it.
Ben, go ahead.
Q Secretary Paige is being criticized for saying he prefers
Christian values in school, saying that's not -- that doesn't
represent all of the United States. How do you respond? Do you think
he misspoke, or does the President agree with --
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think the Department of Education has
addressed that, after -- the Department of Education's press
secretary has talked about this, and has talked about the Secretary's
statement and about his commitment to schools and public schools, so
every child from every walk of life can learn and succeed. And I would
note that the Secretary's statements did not apply -- he narrowed
them down to universities. In fact, they were much more qualified if
you read the statement in its entirety. But I think they've been
clarified by the Secretary's press secretary.
Q Thank you.
MR. FLEISCHER: Thank you.
END 3:20 P.M. EDT
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