President Discusses Economy, Iraq in Cabinet Meeting
Remarks by the President After Meeting with His Cabinet
The Cabinet Room
10:57 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: I've just met with my Cabinet. We discussed
primarily the economy. And I was pleased with the report I got. The
U.S. economy is strong and it's getting stronger. People are going
back to work. There's a sense of optimism around this table, because
these people have been out in the field and talking to people, talking
to small business owners and entrepreneurs. I'm pleased with the
progress we're making.
There's more to do to make sure this growth is sustained throughout
the decade. Primarily it requires a proper understanding of the role
of government to the economy. The role of government is not to try to
manage the economy, the role of government is to create an environment
in which the capital flows and entrepreneurs feel emboldened to take
risk, and to make sure workers are trained for the jobs of the 21st
century. I will continue to talk to the American people about our
pro-growth strategy that I'm confident will work.
The other thing we talked about was our firm resolve to spread
freedom, and therefore peace, around the world. We fully understand
terrorists will try to shake our will, to try to shake our confidence,
to try to get us to withdraw from commitments we have made in places
like Afghanistan and Iraq. And they won't succeed. Iraq will be free,
and a free Iraq is in our nation's interest. A free Iraq will make the
world more peaceful. A free Iraq will be an ally of those nations who
honor human rights and human dignity and the aspirations of men and
women everywhere. A free Iraq will make America more secure.
And we're making progress toward that goal. We've been there --
it's been 14 months since the fall of Baghdad, and the work has been
hard and difficult. Yet our military on the ground has done an
excellent job of making sure the conditions are such that an Iraqi
government can emerge and lead their nation to the better days.
I'll be glad to answer a couple of questions. Deb, why don't you
lead it off?
Q Mr. President, why does the administration continue to insist
that Saddam had a relationship with al Qaeda, when even you have denied
any connection between Saddam and September 11th. And now the
September 11th Commission says that there was no collaborative
relationship at all.
THE PRESIDENT: The reason I keep insisting that there was a
relationship between Iraq and Saddam and al Qaeda, because there was a
relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda. This administration never said
that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and al Qaeda.
We did say there were numerous contacts between Saddam Hussein and al
Qaeda. For example, Iraqi intelligence officers met with bin Laden,
the head of al Qaeda, in the Sudan. There's numerous contacts between
the two.
I always said that Saddam Hussein was a threat. He was a threat
because he had used weapons of mass destruction against his own
people. He was a threat because he was a sworn enemy to the United
States of America, just like al Qaeda. He was a threat because he had
terrorist connections -- not only al Qaeda connections, but other
connections to terrorist organizations; Abu Nidal was one. He was a
threat because he provided safe-haven for a terrorist like Zarqawi, who
is still killing innocent inside of Iraq.
No, he was a threat, and the world is better off and America is
more secure without Saddam Hussein in power.
Let's see -- Morgan.
Q Mr. President, given your administration's assertions that it
works closely with the International Red Cross, are you disappointed
that Secretary Rumsfeld instructed military officials in Iraq to hold a
member of Ansar al-Islam without telling Red Cross officials?
THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary and I discussed that for the first
time this morning. And he's going to hold a press conference today to
discuss that with you. I'm never disappointed in my Secretary of
Defense. He's doing a fabulous job, and America is lucky to have him
in the position he's in. But the Secretary will hold a press
conference today, and you might want to ask him that question at his
press conference.