[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
[September 18, 2001]
[Pages 1125-1128]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Prior to Discussions With President Jacques Chirac of France and an Exchange With Reporters
September 18, 2001

    President Bush. It is my honor to welcome a good friend, a good 
personal friend and a good friend of America, to the Oval Office. It's 
the first formal visit I've had

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with any world leader since the terrible day a week ago.
    After the incident, after that day, I got a lot of phone calls, and 
one of the most meaningful phone calls of all was from Jacques Chirac, 
who expressed his concern for the American citizens. He expressed his 
desire to stand solidly with America during this terrible, terrible day.
    President Chirac understands that we have entered a new type of war. 
It's a war against people who hate freedom. And I am honored to welcome 
our friend here to the Oval Office.
    Welcome, sir.
    President Chirac. Thank you. I've come here to tell you of the 
emotion--the emotion of France, of the French people, an emotion which 
has no precedent in history before this tragedy, which does not have a 
parallel. Indeed, it is a tragic event, something which is beyond crime; 
there are no words to qualify it.
    I want to tell President Bush, who is my friend, that we stand in 
total solidarity. We bring you the total solidarity of France and the 
French people. It is solidarity of the heart.
    I also wanted to say that we are completely determined to fight by 
your side this new type of evil, of absolute evil, which is terrorism. 
And I also wanted to say that France is prepared and available to 
discuss all means to fight and eradicate this evil.
    President Bush. Thank you, sir.
    Yes, Ron [Ron Fournier, Associated Press].

Response to Terrorist Attacks

    Q. Mr. President, sir, do you expect French and British soldiers to 
fight side by side with ours?
    And President Chirac, do you agree that we are in a war, and is 
France in it? Will you fight side by side with U.S. troops?
    President Bush. This is a new kind of war. This war will require 
determination and patience. People who love freedom, such as Jacques 
Chirac and the people of France, will join us--I'm confident of that--in 
finding those who feel like they can terrorize nations because they hate 
freedom.
    We will--it's a policy of my Government not to discuss any plans we 
may have as to how we intend to deal with the terrorists and the 
terrorist networks that believe they can disrupt lives anyplace, anytime 
in the world. I look forward to talking with one of our strongest allies 
in private about what's on my mind.
    But make no mistake about it: This administration has got a firm 
goal and a determination to achieve the goal, and that is to rally the 
world toward a campaign to find terrorists, to smoke them out of their 
holes, and to get them, and to bring them to justice.
    And there's no doubt in my mind France joins with us in this most 
important campaign. Jacques Chirac has--this is my fourth meeting with 
this leader. He's a man of vision. He's a man who understands what I 
understand, that we've entered into a new era. And I feel confident that 
we're going to work in a collaborative way to achieve a common 
objective.
    If you love freedom, you must join with us; you must join with 
America and France. That's the message of this meeting. And we will 
discuss ways that we can work in a way that will achieve the goal. And 
there's no doubt in my mind that we'll find solidarity with the French 
and the French Government.
    Q. Will your citizens fight shoulder to shoulder with ours?
    President Chirac. I don't know whether we should use the word 
``war,'' but what I can say is that now we are faced with a conflict of 
a completely new nature. It is a conflict which is attempting to destroy 
human rights, freedom, the dignity of man. And I believe that everything 
must be done to protect and safeguard these values of civilization.
    Therefore--and we are, naturally, prepared to work in complete 
solidarity with

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the United States and do everything which is necessary, in consultation 
with them, to reach this target which is the elimination of terrorism. 
And I would also like to add that practically all the leaders of the 
world are following the same line.
    Q. Mr. President, don't you think it's high time for the occidental 
world to review in a very tougher way its relationship with a certain 
number of, let's say, Arabic countries which have been helping or 
harboring the terrorists?
    President Bush. In my statement to our Nation, I told the people of 
the United States that we would not only hold those who committed these 
horrible acts accountable, that we would also hold those accountable who 
harbored them, who fed them, who hide them. That's our policy.
    Many, many Arab--first of all, it is important to know that this is 
not a campaign against Islam. This is not a campaign against Arab 
people. This is a campaign against terrorists. This is a campaign 
against evildoers who hate freedom.
    I have had and I'm sure Jacques, as well, has had strong statements 
of solidarity from governments in the Middle East. I've talked to many 
world leaders, Arab leaders, all of whom are outraged by the acts of 
terrorism against America, all of whom understand it could be them as 
well. Terrorism knows no borders.
    And so I've been very pleased with the outpouring of support. And we 
will take the governments for their word and will work with them to 
disrupt the finances, the travel, the communications. We will find them 
in their hiding places, and we'll get them moving, and we'll bring them 
to justice. Make no mistake about it.
    Q. Mr. President----
    President Bush. Yes, Patsy [Patricia Wilson, Reuters].

Middle East Cease-Fire

    Q. Do you think the Middle East cease-fire will hold? And what do 
you think the next step should be for both the Israelis and the 
Palestinians?
    President Bush. We've had very positive developments in the Middle 
East today, and it's one of the subjects that my friend and I will 
discuss. I was very pleased by the statements by Chairman 
Arafat, followed by the strong statements by 
the Israelis that they would stand down troops.
    And I hope in my heart of hearts that out of this evil comes good. I 
think it will; I'm a very optimistic person. And one of the goods that 
can come is that people involved with the Middle East conflict, that 
both leaders here want to resolve, realize that a terrorist way of life 
is not going to lead to a peaceful resolution for people.
    The next step, of course, is to stay involved in the region, is to 
work with both the Palestinians and the Israelis to encourage them to 
seize the moment, to hold Mr. Arafat to his 
word that he will fight violence, and to encourage the Israelis to sit 
down and have meaningful dialog, with the attempt to get into the 
Mitchell process. And it's a glimmer of hope that all of us hope that 
the parties involved will seize.

U.S. Response to Terrorist Attacks

    Q. Mr. President, how will this new war be fought, this new war 
against terrorism?
    President Bush. It is new, and it's important for the world to 
understand that there are no beaches to storm, there are no islands to 
conquer, there are no battle lines to be drawn. It's a war that is going 
to take an international effort. It's going to take all of us to gather 
the necessary intelligence, the necessary information, to be able to 
find the location of terrorists, to work with governments to smoke them 
out of their safe houses, to get them moving, and then have the courage 
to bring them to justice.
    My Government will commit whatever resources is necessary to be 
effective in this all-important cause. I repeat: We're fighting for 
liberty and freedom, a way of

[[Page 1128]]

life that is so essential for humankind, mankind to be able to realize 
their full potential. And we are focused on achieving the goal.
    There's going to be a time when free nations settle into what is 
viewed as an ordinary life, and I hope that happens soon; I hope that 
happens soon. But make no mistake about it: My goal, my intentions will 
not diminish with time. I am absolutely--I know that we are called to 
respond to terror now. This is the time, and the world is ready for 
leadership. And Jacques Chirac is ready to provide that leadership, as 
am I.
    I want to thank you all for being here.

Note: The President spoke at 6:30 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Chairman Yasser Arafat of the 
Palestinian Authority. He also referred to the Report of the Sharm el-
Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee, chaired by former Senator George J. 
Mitchell, issued April 30. President Chirac spoke in French, and his 
remarks were translated by an interpreter.