President Bush, Ambassador Bremer Discuss Progress in Iraq
Remarks by the President and Special Envoy to Iraq, Ambassador Bremer, in Photo Opportunity
The Oval Office
9:04 A.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. I'll share a few words
and then answer a couple of questions.
First, Ambassador Bremer and General Abizaid have been briefing the
Secretary of Defense and my national security team, General Myers,
about the situation in Iraq. We spent time talking about the success
of the donors conference, the fact that the world community is coming
together to help build a free Iraq, and we want to thank the world for
the willingness to step up and to help.
Ambassador Bremer was particularly pleased with not only the fact
that governments stood up, but that there was a series of private
sector companies willing to help in Iraq, and that's a positive move
for the people.
We spent time, obviously, on the security situation. There are
terrorists in Iraq who are willing to kill anybody in order to stop our
progress. The more successful we are on the ground, the more these
killers will react. And our job is to find them and bring them to
justice, which is precisely what General Abizaid briefed us on. It is
a -- the people have got to understand, the Iraqi people have got to
understand that anytime you've got a group of killers willing to kill
innocent Iraqis, that their future must not be determined by these kind
of killers. That's what they've got to understand. I think they do
understand that -- they do. The Ambassador and the General were
briefing me on the -- the vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a
peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring
them to justice.
This government is determined to hear the call from the Iraqis, and
the call is they want a society in which their children can go to
school, in which they can get good health care, in which they're able
to live a peaceful life. It's in the national interest of the United
States that a peaceful Iraq emerge. And we will stay the course in
order to achieve this objective.
Deb, you've got a question?
Q Yes, sir. Mr. President, the attacks are getting more
brazen, they're getting more frequent. What do you know about who is
behind these attacks? Is it Saddam? And what steps did you all
discuss this morning about better protecting U.S. personnel there?
THE PRESIDENT: The best way to describe the people who are
conducting these attacks are cold-blooded killers, terrorists. That's
all they are. They're terrorists. And the best way to find them is to
work with the Iraqi people to ferret them out and go get them. And
that's exactly what we discussed.
What was the other part of your question?
Q What steps did you discuss this morning about better
protecting U.S. personnel?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think if you -- we've hardened a lot of our
targets for U.S. personnel there. And today's attacks were against
places like the Red Cross, or police stations. These people will kill
Iraqis. They don't care who they kill. They just want to kill. And
we will find them, exactly what we discussed on how best to do so.
The Iraqi people understand that there's a handful of people who
don't want to live in freedom, aren't interested in their children
going to schools, aren't -- don't really care about the nature of the
health care they get, aren't pleased with the fact that the electricity
is coming back on line, aren't happy about the fact that Iraq is now
selling oil on the world markets and people are finding work. And
they'll do whatever it takes to stop this progress.
And our job is to work with the Iraqis to prevent this from
happening. That's why we're working hard to get more Iraqi policemen;
that's why we're working hard to build up the Iraqi armed forces; and
that's why we're working hard with freedom-loving Iraqis to help ferret
these people out before they attack and strike. And --
Q But, sir --
THE PRESIDENT: Randy.
Q Mr. President, much of the aid offered for Iraq at the Madrid
conference was in the form of loans, rather than grants. What impact
might this have on your threat to veto the U.S.-Iraqi aid bill if part
of the reconstruction aid is in loans?
THE PRESIDENT: My attitude is the United States ought to provide
reconstruction money in the form of grant.
Q So no change in the veto threat, then?
THE PRESIDENT: My attitude has been, and still is, that the money
we provide Iraq ought to be in the form of a grant. And the reason why
is we want to make sure that the constraints on the Iraqi people are
limited so that they can flourish and become a free and prosperous
society.
Let's see. Ryan.
Q Thank you, Mr. President. Welcome back from Asia, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I'm glad somebody welcomed me
back. (Laughter.) I better call on you first next time. (Laughter.)
Q If I may just follow on Deb's question.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
Q And actually, Mr. Bremer, as well. The situation in Iraq,
can you characterize how it is you come since July 23rd, when you last
met, I believe, with the President, and as adjust tactics to deal with
things such as suicide bombers, what effect, if any, is that having on
the hunt for weapons of mass destruction?
THE PRESIDENT: I'll let the Ambassador speak. Again, I will
repeat myself, that the more progress we make on the ground, the more
free the Iraqis become, the more electricity is available, the more
jobs are available, the more kids that are going to school, the more
desperate these killers become, because they can't stand the thought of
a free society. They hate freedom. They love terror. They love to
try to create fear and chaos. And what we're determined in this
administration is not to be intimidated by these killers. As a matter
of fact, we're even more determined to work with the Iraqi people to
create the conditions of freedom and peace, because it's in our
national interest we do so. It's in the interest of long-term peace in
the world that we work for a free and secure and peaceful Iraq. A free
and secure Iraq in the midst of the Middle East will have enormous
historical impact.
You may want to speak to the issue, Ambassador.
AMBASSADOR BREMER: Well, a lot of wonderful things have happened
in Iraq since July, as you mentioned. We have a cabinet now, with
ministers actually conducting affairs of state. We have met all of our
goals in restoring essential services. All the schools and hospitals
are open. Electricity is back at pre-war levels. We're moving ahead
with our plan. We'll have rough days, such as we've had the last
couple of days. But the overall thrust is in the right direction, and
the good days outnumber the bad days, and that's the thing you need to
keep in perspective.
THE PRESIDENT: Anne, yes. Last question here.
Q The fires in Southern California now not only taking homes,
but there are a number of casualties. What can your administration do
to come in and help? Are you getting reports on what's happening in
California?
THE PRESIDENT: I am. Chief of Staff Andy Card spoke to the
governor last night, spoke to the senators last night, Senator Boxer,
spoke to Congressman Duncan Hunter, assured all three that the federal
government will provide all resources necessary, at the request of the
state, to work and fight these fires. FEMA Director Brown is on his
way to California now. He will give us an assessment. We want to help
put them out. This is a devastating fire, and it's a dangerous fire.
And we're prepared to help in any way we can.
Okay, one more question; sympathetic soul here.
Q Thank you very much. Can you tell us if you will direct your
staff to turn over the highly classified intelligence documents that
the 9/11 commission has so far been unsuccessfully seeking, even if
they are presidential daily briefings, and if so, when?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, those are very sensitive documents. And my
attorney, Al Gonzales, is working with Chairman Kean. Thank you.