President Visits Soldiers at Army and Navy Medical Centers
Remarks by the President After Visiting Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and National Naval Medical Center
Bethesda, Maryland
3:40 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Laura and I just had an extraordinary experience
here at Bethesda and at -- initially at Walter Reed, to thank our
troops who've been overseas in Iraq, for their dedication and courage
and their service to the country. Because of troops like them, because
of coalition troops we've had an historic week.
I don't think I'll ever forget -- I'm sure a lot of other people
will never forget -- the statue of Saddam Hussein falling in Baghdad,
and then seeing the jubilation on the faces of ordinary Iraqis as they
realized that the grip of fear that had them by the throat had been
released. The first signs of freedom.
I came today to thank the troops and their families and their loved
ones for their sacrifice. I also want to thank the staffs of these
hospitals, the leadership, the doctors and the nurses, the people who
care for those who have been hurt, for their extraordinary service to
their fellow Americans.
Ours is an amazing country where a young soldier can be wounded on
the battlefield and four days later be receiving the best health care
possible. This country is dedicated to our military, we try to provide
the very best we can. And here at Bethesda, at Walter Reed, our troops
get the very best there is.
So Laura and I were here not only to thank our soldiers, but also
to thank those in the medical profession who dedicate their lives to
healing the hurt and to helping the families. And that's exactly
what's happening for our soldiers here in these two fine facilities.
I'll be glad to answer a couple of questions.
Q Mr. President, what progress are we making in determining the
whereabouts and well-being of American POWs and MIAs in Iraq? And the
same goes for Saddam Hussein. And which do you see as the greater
priority right now?
THE PRESIDENT: The priority of this campaign is to rid the Iraqi
people of any vestiges of Saddam Hussein and his regime so we can not
only free the people, but clear that country of weapons of mass
destruction. I don't know the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein; I don't
know if he's dead or alive. I do know he's no longer in power.
In terms of POWs, we will use every resource we have to find any
POWs that are alive -- and we pray that they are alive, because if
they are, we'll find them.
Q Why shouldn't we say that the war is over except for pockets
of resistance, sir? And do you feel any certain sense of vindication
after all those people questioned the war plan?
THE PRESIDENT: I don't take anything personally. I committed our
troops because I believe that Saddam Hussein and his regime posed a
threat to the American people, posed a threat to anybody who loves
freedom. We will achieve that objective. And at the same time, we
will free the Iraqi people. And that's an important objective, as
well. We believe in freedom. We believe freedom is universal. We
believe freedom is -- is a gift from the Almighty God for every
person, regardless of their race or their religion.
This war will end when our commanders in the field tell me that the
objective has been achieved. And Tommy Franks put together a great
strategy. Wonderful thing about free speech and a lot of TV stations
is you get a lot of opinions. Some of them were right, and some of
them were really wrong. But that's okay. That's what we -- that's
what we believe; we believe in free speech, believe people ought to be
able to express their opinion.
Q Sir, can you tell us, though, what you think specifically
needs to happen for you to feel comfortable with the recommendation
from General Franks that the war is over and victory has been
achieved? Does Tikrit need to fall, the weapons of mass destruction
--
THE PRESIDENT: Hold on, I can't hear you. There's something
beeping here. We've got a major beeper violation right here at
Bethesda. (Laughter.) Say it again, I'm --
Q What are some of the specific things that you want to see?
The weapons of mass destruction found and secured? Tikrit falling?
Saddam found?
THE PRESIDENT: The specific thing I want to hear is that our
commanders say we've achieved the clear objective I set out. And
that's when -- that's when we will say this is over. This is a
campaign that has been run on the front lines by General Tommy Franks.
And that's the way it's going to continue to be, that Tommy gets the
-- Tommy tells us what is necessary to achieve the objective. We gave
Tommy the tools necessary to win; we agreed with his strategy; and he's
running this war. And when Tommy says we've achieved our objective,
that's when we've achieved our objective. I'm here in Washington,
D.C. He's there in Qatar, and he's got commanders in Baghdad. He's
better to judge whether we've achieved the objective than I have.
Go ahead.
Q Do you need to see the weapons of mass destruction found and
secured?
THE PRESIDENT: The war will end when Tommy Franks says we've
achieved our objective.
Q -- for Syria's failure to heed U.S. warnings?
THE PRESIDENT: Syria just needs to know we expect full
cooperation. And that we strongly urge them not to allow for Baath
Party members or Saddam's families or generals on the run to seek safe
haven and find safe haven there. We expect them to do everything they
can to prevent people who should be held to account from escaping in
their country. And if they are in their country, we expect the Syrian
authorities to turn them over to the proper folks.
Q As the war does come to an end, what domestic or foreign
priorities are you going to turn your focus to quickly?
THE PRESIDENT: That's a very speculative question about foreign
priority. My priority right now is to win the war on terror. And that
means we've got ongoing operations in Afghanistan. The Iraqi theater
was a part of the war on terror, and we continue to fight the war on
terror. So that's a major priority.
Beyond that, obviously, is the promotion of the health and
well-being of citizens around the world. I'm very serious about the
AIDS initiative for Africa. But we will continue to deal with it. And
we will continue to deal with issues like proliferation.
At home, obviously I'm spending a lot of time on economic growth.
And working with members of the United States Congress to encourage
them to pass a stimulus package that will affect the economy so people
can find work. I want to make sure Medicare gets done -- that is,
the reform of Medicare -- so that seniors are able to receive the
health care that they've been promised. I mean, there's a lot on my
agenda.
Q Was there any conversations, either here or at Walter Reed,
that stood out to you? And what was their effect on you and Mrs.
Bush?
THE PRESIDENT: Conversations?
Q Here or at Walter Reed that stood out.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think the thing that stood out the most to
me was seeing two wounded soldiers swear-in as citizens of the United
States: one man from Mexico, one man from the Philippines; people who
had gone overseas; people who had risked their lives for peace and
security and freedom; they wore the uniform of the United States
military. And Laura and I got to see them sworn-in as citizens. It
was a very profound moment. We were both honored to witness this.
You know, we've got an amazing country, where -- it's so
powerful, values we believe that people would be willing to risk their
own life and become a citizen after being wounded. It's an amazing
moment, I'm really proud of them.
Yes, ma'am.
Q How was the morale of the Marines and sailors?
THE PRESIDENT: It's good. The Marines are a tough group -- a
tough group, as you know. And a lot of the troops wanted to get healed
quickly so they could go back with their units. It's an amazing thing
when you see a person wounded, sitting there in a wheelchair or bound
up in bandages or these different looking metal things sticking out of
them to hold them together -- a young man look you in the eye and
say: I can't wait to get back to my unit; I hope I'm healed fast
enough to get back to Iraq.
It's a brave lot here in Bethesda; people who are willing to
sacrifice for something greater than themselves. And I feel lucky as
an American to be a part of a country where citizens are willing to do
that.
I reminded them and their families that the war in Iraq is
-- it's really about peace, trying to make the world more
peaceful. This victory in Iraq, when it happens, will make the world
more peaceful. I reminded them that their sacrifices really had to do
with the security of our country; that Saddam Hussein and his terrorist
allies are threats to America, threats to our people because of what we
believe in.
I also reminded them that their courageous sacrifice will help
young Iraqis grow up in a free society; that out of the chaos that
takes place there now and after the fear of a Saddam Hussein and his
thugs, that the Iraqi people will run their own country, make their own
decisions, choose their own leaders and will become a country at peace
with others in the neighborhood.
And so their sacrifices, as I told them, were worthwhile. And it's
an honor to have spoken to them and to have been with them and their
families today.