    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [November 7, 2001]
    [Pages 1354-1358]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1354]]

    Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom and an Exchange With Reporters
    November 7, 2001

        President Bush. The last time we were standing here, I was getting
    ready to give an address to the United States Congress. And I knew then
    that the Prime Minister and the people he represents were going to be
    great friends of the United States in our mutual struggle against
    terrorism, and he has certainly proven that over the last weeks. We've
    got no better friend in the world than Great Britain. I've got no better
    person that I would like to talk to about our mutual concerns than Tony
    Blair. He brings a lot of wisdom and judgment as we fight evil.
        He also is, like me, determined. Nothing will deter us in this all-
    important goal. We both recognize that we wage a fight to save
    civilization and that we must prevail--and not only must prevail, will
    prevail.
        We've had a great discussion about progress in Afghanistan. I fully
    believe we're making great progress. I told the American people many
    times, and I've told the press corps many times that this is a struggle
    that's going to take a while, that it's not one of these Kodak moments.
    There is no moment to this; this is a long struggle and a different kind
    of war. But we're patient, and our close friends are patient, which is
    bad news for the Taliban and the people they harbor.
        Secondly, we talked a lot about making sure that our great
    compassion for the innocents in Afghanistan is fulfilled. We must feed
    the people. And the Prime Minister has--every time I've talked to him,
    which is a lot, is constantly talking about how we make sure that we
    fulfill the mission, not only military but fulfill the mission of
    helping people in need. And also, we continue to discuss the vision of a
    post-Taliban Afghanistan and how do we make sure that all parties
    involved in that part of the world have a stake in the future. He's got
    a clear vision; he is a strong friend; and I welcome him back to the
    White House.
        Prime Minister Blair. First of all, can I say how pleased I am to be
    back at the White House in the company of President Bush and to have
    continued the discussions we've been having over these past weeks and
    continue them face to face. And can I thank him once again for his
    leadership and his strength at this time. And can I say to him, on
    behalf of the people of my country, but I believe people right across
    the world, that the determination to see that justice is done is every
    bit as strong today as it was on September the 11th.
        The cause is just. The strategy is there. The determination is
    there, and there is a complete and total commitment to making sure that
    this is a battle in which we will prevail. And we will. I have no doubt
    about that at all.
        What we've discussed already and will carry on discussing is,
    obviously, the military strategy in Afghanistan. We have discussed the
    humanitarian issues to make sure that we are doing everything we
    possibly can to help the plight of people in Afghanistan. And we should
    never forget that some 4\1/2\ million of them were refugees before the
    11th of September.
        We have discussed also the reconstruction of Afghanistan, how we
    make sure that after the present Taliban regime led by Mullah Omar is
    out of the way, that we construct a broad-based regime that is
    representative of all the different groupings in Afghanistan and offers
    some hope of stability and prosperity for that part of the world.
        And we have, obviously, also discussed how important it is that, at
    this moment in time, we carry on building that strong coalition against
    international terrorism in

    [[Page 1355]]

    all its forms. And I believe that that coalition, if anything, is even
    stronger today.
        Certainly, from the discussions I had with European leaders just a
    few days ago, their commitment is real, and their determination is also
    absolute to see this thing done. So can I once again thank President
    Bush very much for his kindness in welcoming me here.
        President Bush. The Prime Minister has consented to take a couple of
    questions, as will I. We are going to enforce the one-question rule,
    however, Fournier [Ron Fournier, Associated Press]. And that is, you get
    to ask me or him a question. [Laughter]
        Q. That's an Executive order?
        President Bush. Well--[laughter].
        Prime Minister Blair. It looks like it.
        Are you going to go first, George, or what?

    Progress in the War on Terrorism

        Q. It has been 8 weeks since the September 11th attacks, and we
    don't know where Usama bin Laden is. It has been several weeks since the
    anthrax attacks, but we don't know who sent the letters. What do you say
    to Americans who might be frustrated and impatient despite your
    admonition about the ``Kodak moment''?
        President Bush. Yes. I will say to them, we fight a new kind of war.
    Never would we dream that someone would use our own airplanes to attack
    us and/or the mail to attack us. I will tell them that we have put a
    sound strategy in place that has got Usama bin Laden and the Al Qaida thugs on the run. And I will tell them
    that we will bring them to justice.
        I can't tell them exactly when. But I will tell them that we will
    prevail. There's no question in my mind. We know he hides in caves, and we're shutting down caves. We know
    he moves around at night, and we're looking for him.
        We know that, slowly but surely, the Taliban is crumbling; its
    defenses are crumbling; its folks are defecting. We know that if you're
    on the frontline and if you're a Taliban soldier, you're likely to get
    injured, because we're relentless in our pursuit of the mission.
        In terms of the anthrax, we don't know who did it yet. We do know
    it's a terrorist. Anybody who would use the mail to try to kill an
    American is a terrorist. But we do know this, Ron, that we've responded
    rapidly, that our health officials are performing really fine work. And
    I truly believe, as I've said many times, I believe they have saved a
    lot of lives. We know how to treat anthrax. And we now know we need
    sanitation machines in our post offices, machines to sanitize the mail,
    and we're putting those in.
        We know that we're fighting evil. And the American people are
    patient. They've heard the call. And tomorrow night I'm going to put out
    an address that reminds the Nation that we're truly a great nation, that
    we've responded in ways that the enemy could never have imagined. And
    I'm so proud of the patience and steadfast nature of our people.
        Mr. Prime Minister.
        Prime Minister Blair. [Inaudible]--say a word on that?
        President Bush. No, you can call on somebody.
        Prime Minister Blair. Yes.

    Situation in the Middle East

        Q. Mr. President, since we're limited to only one leader, can I ask
    you whether you think you can win this struggle against terrorism
    without a settlement in the Middle East? And in view of the rather
    strident notes struck by both sides on the Prime Minister's tour of the
    Middle East last week, what do you think the United States can do to
    bring that resolution about?
        President Bush. Of course we can win the war against Al Qaida.
        Q. Without a Middle East settlement?
        President Bush. Oh, I believe we can. I believe we're going to--we
    are hunting

    [[Page 1356]]

    them down as we speak, and we will bring them to justice.
        But remember, the war is beyond just Afghanistan. There are over 60
    Al Qaida organizations around the world. And today we struck a blow for
    freedom by cutting off their money--one of their money sources. And I'm
    absolutely convinced we can.
        Having said that, however, we are both working hard to try to bring
    peace to the Middle East. My Secretary of State, who is here, spends enormous amounts of time on the phone
    with both parties, urging for there to be calm so that we can get into
    the Mitchell process. There is a process in place that will lead to
    peace, called Mitchell. It has been embraced by all or most of the
    nations of the world, and we are working hard to get us into the
    Mitchell process.
        There is no doubt in my mind--no doubt in my mind--we will bring Al
    Qaida to justice, peace or no peace in the Middle East.
        Prime Minister Blair. Can I just say a word on that? There is no way
    whatever in which our action in Afghanistan is conditional on progress
    in the Middle East. And indeed, one of the things that bin Laden wants
    to do is to try and hijack the Palestinian cause for his own purposes.
        Now, we are taking the action in Afghanistan, and I believe,
    incidentally, people are patient about this. I think they understand
    this is not a conventional conflict; it is not fought in a conventional
    way. It takes a lot of strategy and planning and determination over a
    period of time to be successful. But be under no doubt at all: Our
    objectives, which is to close down that terrorist network in
    Afghanistan, those objectives will be achieved.
        Now, even though it is not conditional in any sense, of course we
    want to see progress in the Middle East. That's why we are devoting
    enormous amounts of time to it. And I believe it is possible to see how
    we can make progress in the Middle East. And I described some of the
    ways that could happen when I was in the Middle East last week. So be
    under no doubt, either, that, irrespective of the action in Afghanistan,
    it is in everybody's interest that we make progress in the Middle East,
    and we will strain every sinew we possibly can to do so.

    Nuclear Arms Reduction/ABM Treaty

        Q. Mr. President, have you decided on a figure for how far you can
    cut the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, and do you agree with President
    Putin, who said that a common approach can be devised for interpreting
    the ABM Treaty to allow for missile defense without abandoning the
    treaty?
        And if Mr. Blair could address the issue of, would a failure to
    reach an arms agreement undermine the momentum of the international
    coalition?
        President Bush. So much for Executive orders. [Laughter]
        Q. It was an umbrella question. [Laughter]
        President Bush. Oh, it was an umbrella question.
        I think it's best that I share with Mr. Putin the acceptable level of offensive weapons with him,
    before I do with you. And so I'm going to reserve--I'm not going to tell
    you until I tell him. [Laughter]
        Q. Have you reached a decision?
        Prime Minister Blair. And then, I guess I had better not, either.
        President Bush. I have reached a decision. And I've spent time
    thinking about the issue. I've told the American people that the United
    States will move to reduce our offensive weapons to a level commensurate
    with being able to keep the peace and, at the same time, much lower
    levels than have been negotiated in previous arms control agreements. We
    don't need an arms control agreement to convince us to reduce our
    nuclear weapons down substantially, and I'm going to do it. And I can't
    wait

    [[Page 1357]]

    to share that information with the President.
    I will do so.
        Listen, the ABM Treaty is outmoded and outdated, and we need to move
    beyond it. It's exactly what I've been telling the President ever since I've been meeting with him, and my
    position has not changed. And if he's got some interesting suggestions
    on how to make the ABM Treaty not outdated and not outmoded, I'm more
    than willing to listen.
        But our Nation and this terrorist war says to me more than ever that
    we need to develop defenses to protect ourselves against weapons of mass
    destruction that might fall in the hands of terrorist nations. If
    Afghanistan or if the Taliban had a weapon that was able to deliver a
    weapon of mass destruction, we might be talking a little different tune
    about our progress against Al Qaida than we are today.
        So it's important for us to be able to develop defenses that work.
    And the ABM Treaty prevents us from doing that.

    Open Skies Agreements

        Q. Mr. Prime Minister, I'd like to divert your attention a little
    bit away from military conflicts toward the economic side of things. I'd
    like to ask you if you've had a chance at all to ask the President if
    they would formally launch open skies agreements and, if not, if that
    means that the UK's position is now that the EU is going to be handling
    this matter?
        Prime Minister Blair. No. I mean, no doubt we will discuss these
    issues, but we haven't yet.
        President Bush. We haven't had dinner yet.
        Q. But does that mean that the EU is going to be in charge of it
    now?
        Prime Minister Blair. No, it doesn't mean that at all.

    Operation Enduring Freedom

        Q. Mr. President, could I ask a question of your guest? But feel
    free to jump in if you so desire.
        President Bush. It depends on what the question is.
        Q. Well, sir, it is a multiple-part question, for which I am famous.
    But anyway, Prime Minister, as you know, the air war in Afghanistan is
    one month old today. There are many experts on both sides of the
    Atlantic who believe that the air war is limited in its ability to
    really inflict a decisive blow against the Taliban. Many say the only
    way you can defeat the Taliban is to put boots on the ground. One, do
    you agree? And two, are you willing to commit large numbers of British
    troops, beyond the SAS and the Royal Marines, to the effort to defeat
    the Taliban?
        Prime Minister Blair. Well, first of all, let me say something to
    you I often say to our own media when I am asked a question about the
    precise nature of our military operations. And that is that I have
    learned in these situations that it is not a sensible thing to discuss
    in detail the types of military operation that you may undertake, for
    very obvious reasons.
        But we are completely committed to seeing this thing through. I
    think people know that the strategy has to encompass more than
    airstrikes alone. Although, do not underestimate the enormous damage
    that is now being done to Taliban frontline troops, because that is
    where the air power is being concentrated. But of course, there are
    other operations that we will mount as well. And there are, obviously,
    the support and the assistance that we are giving to the Northern
    Alliance. There are the measures that we are taking of a political and
    diplomatic nature as well.
        And when you said a moment or two ago that the airstrikes were
    just--and the conflict was a month old, I think it is probably just as
    well to reflect upon that for a moment. It is simply a month old. And we
    have begun this action. We have taken it at a number of different
    levels. I think it is already having a huge impact.

    [[Page 1358]]

        Some of the information that I have seen--I think sometimes people
    don't always reflect on maybe enough when we state it to people--but
    literally, we have destroyed virtually all the terrorist training camps
    of Al Qaida. We have destroyed an enormous amount of the military
    infrastructure of the Taliban. Their air power, insofar as it exists, is
    completely taken out. We therefore have a very, very strong situation
    from which to move forward. And I think what is--what is different about
    this conflict is that every part of it has to come together; in other
    words, not just the military part but also the support for those parties
    in opposition to the Taliban, and the political and diplomatic aspects
    that help build a strong coalition that can secure the objectives we
    want to see. And I have absolutely no doubt at all that we will achieve
    the objectives that we want.
        And those objectives are very simple. Sometimes people say to me,
    ``Well, you know, clarify the military objectives.'' There's no
    difficulty about doing that at all. It's Al Qaida and the terrorist
    network shut down; it's the Taliban regime out; it's a new regime in
    that is broad-based; and it's a decent future for the people of
    Afghanistan, based on some stability and progress, not based on a regime
    that oppresses its people, treats its people appallingly, is a threat to
    regional stability, and basically thrives on the drugs trade.
        Now, I think those are pretty clear objectives, and I've absolutely
    no doubt at all that we will achieve them in full, and we will not let
    up until we do.
        President Bush. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 5:15 p.m. in the Cross Hall at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al
    Qaida terrorist organization; and President Vladimir Putin of Russia.
    The President also referred to the Report of the Sharm el-Sheikh Fact-
    Finding Committee, chaired by former Senator George J. Mitchell, issued
    April 30.