Home > News & Policies > Press Secretary Briefings

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 16, 2001

Remarks by Ari Fleischer in Q&A; with the Travel Pool
Rancho San Cristobal
San Cristobal, Mexico

1:36 P.M. (L)

     MR. FLEISCHER:  Since 1991, coalition aircraft have been enforcing the no-fly zone in Iraq.  Today allied armed forces conducted a routine strike associated with enforcement of the no-fly zone.  Coalition aircraft struck targets that were instrumental in providing air defenses that threaten coalition aircraft that were on patrol in the southern no-fly zone.

     The President authorized the strike because of the risk posed to our aircraft.  All coalition aircraft have returned safely.

     Q    Was this planned, Ari, or was this a spontaneous    --

     MR. FLEISCHER:  The President authorized it yesterday.

     Q    When did he authorize it?

     MR. FLEISCHER:  Yesterday.

     Q    Did something happen to provoke this, Ari, did some incident happen to provoke this?

     MR. FLEISCHER:  It was the existence of radar facilities that posed a threat to our aircraft, that identified our aircraft.  There is a simultaneous briefing going on at the Pentagon as we speak.  The Pentagon is briefing at 2:30 p.m. and will provide additional detailed information about the strikes and about the targets.

     Q    For the President to have specifically approved it indicates it's more than just a routine thing, though, because rules of engagement --

     MR. FLEISCHER:  No, it is routine.  In this case, the aircraft would be on patrol in the southern no-fly zone, and that's why it required the President's authorization.  That has happened before; that is, unfortunately, routine.

     Q    Do we know whether these were newly-constructed radar?

     MR. FLEISCHER:  DOD will be taking that.

     Q    How was Bush informed today?  Was there a note slipped to him in his meetings?

     MR. FLEISCHER:  The President authorized the strike and so he knew, of course, about what would result.

     Q    Yes, but wasn't he notified inside that the strike did take place?

     MR. FLEISCHER:  He was notified.

     Q    By a piece of paper being slipped to him?

     MR. FLEISCHER:  A routine notification -- whether it was paper or --

     Q    Anymore strikes planned, or is this a --

     MR. FLEISCHER:  We don't discuss that type of information.

     Q    When was he informed today that it had happened?

     MR. FLEISCHER:  He authorized it yesterday morning and he was informed this afternoon.

     Q    Did it interrupt the talks going on with President Fox, or when did it --

     MR. FLEISCHER:  The President, of course, since he authorized it, knew that it was going to happen.

     Q    How does he feel this affects the feel of this summit?  I mean, does it ruin the good feeling that we've had in Mexico?

     MR. FLEISCHER:  It was a routine enforcement and it was part of protecting a coalition in Iraq.

     Q    You wouldn't say there is a message being sent here to Saddam Hussein or any other --

     MR. FLEISCHER:  The President has always said that he takes seriously our responsibility to protect our coalition allies and to enforce the no-fly zone.

     Thank you, everybody.

                                                                        END                                                        1:40 P.M. (L)