    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [August 1, 2002]
    [Pages 1330-1332]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Prior to Discussions With King Abdullah II of Jordan and an Exchange With Reporters
    August 1, 2002

        President Bush. Before I welcome His Majesty back to the Oval
    Office, we will take two questions apiece after our opening statements.
        First, Your Majesty, welcome back. I look forward to a good and
    fruitful discussion about our common interests. Obviously, your
    neighborhood is still a dangerous place. Today in America we mourn the
    loss of American lives. My prayers and sympathies go to the loved ones
    of those who were killed by terrorists who must hate the thought of
    peace, who must firmly believe that violence is the best hope for
    mankind in that part of the world, a concept I strongly reject. It's a
    concept that is just foreign to peace. And therefore, the first thing we
    must do is to work hard as a team to uphold our responsibilities and
    fight off terrorist activities that kill innocent life.
        I look forward to talking to His Majesty about how to move the
    foundations of peace, the prospects of peace forward in the Middle East.
    That's going to, of course, be discussions about a security force in the
    Palestinian territory that will be able to help deal with those who want
    to destroy the prospects for peace. I want to thank His Majesty for
    working with CIA Director Tenet to strategize about how to best help the
    Palestinians have a more secure future.
        We'll also be talking about the plight of the Palestinian people,
    how sad it is that for too long the Palestinians have suffered. They've
    been pawns in the game of foreign policy, and we want to help them.
        It's going to be very important for us as we go forward to have
    confidence, however, in the Palestinian government that emerges. We want
    to have confidence that the money that we eventually will spend to help
    the Palestinian people is spent on the people. We want to have
    confidence that those who emerge to lead the Palestinian people are--
    long for peace and want to coexist side by side in peace with Israel.
        And so, Your Majesty, welcome back. I look forward to a good and
    fruitful discussion.
        King Abdullah. Thank you, Mr. President. Again, it's a delight to be
    back with you here, especially to discuss your tremendous commitment to
    bring peace and stability to our region. You have really given us hope
    that once and for all we will be able to move forward as Arabs and
    Israelis, to be able to live in harmony and have a tremendous future.
        We're here, obviously, to discuss how we can best move the process
    forward, but again, the President's very strong commitment to assist
    alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people, which is of
    tremendous importance, and we're very grateful for that. So I'm looking
    forward to----
        President Bush. Thanks.
        King Abdullah. ----fruitful discussions.
        President Bush. Barry [Barry Schweid, Associated Press].

    American Victims of Hebrew University Bombing

        Q. Mr. President, with American victims now--and of course, you've
    touched on

    [[Page 1331]]

    this, and I'm sure I know how you feel about it--but does this raise the
    war on terrorism to a new level? Is there something the U.S. must do to
    respond to the murder of Americans now?
        President Bush. Well, Barry, we are responding to the murder of
    Americans. We're responding all across the globe to murders of
    Americans. We responded in Afghanistan to murders. We responded in the
    Philippines. We will--we're responding by working with our Arab friends
    and Israel, of course, to track these people down. The war on terror is
    fought on many fronts. And I just--I cannot speak strongly enough about
    how we must collectively get after those who kill in the name of some
    kind of false religion.
        I just--I grieve for all people whose lives are taken by terrorist
    activities. I'm particularly sad today because of the American families
    who cry today, weep at the loss of a loved one, because there's some
    fanatic who believes that killing innocent life is positive. It's
    incredibly negative.
        And so, yes, Barry, we're committed to the war on terror and to
    fighting the war on terror and to winning the war on terror. And this
    bombing in Israel showed how tough it's going to be, but this country is
    tough and united and strong, Your Majesty.

    Middle East Plan for Peace/Palestine Liberation Organization

        Q. Mr. President, you've recently articulated your vision for peace
    in the Middle East. However, an action plan is still needed to be
    crystallized.
        President Bush. Yes.
        Q. So, you know, is there any framework for such a plan? And what
    are the guarantees that both sides would be committed to that plan?
        President Bush. Well, first of all, I'm committed to peace; that's--
    I can speak for myself. And I'm committed to a vision of two states
    respecting each other, two states living side by side in peace.
    Secondly, there is an action plan going forward, and that's what I'm
    going to review with His Majesty.
        Step one is to develop a security force that actually serves the
    people, not a particular leader. The security force must be designed to
    fight off terror, not designed to serve the whims and interests of a--of
    one person.
        Secondly, we've got to work together to develop a constitution, so
    that the institutions of a new state are bigger than any one person. And
    that's very important.
        Thirdly, that we've got to make sure that there is the capacity for
    the Palestinian Authority to spend money in a way that--and account for
    money in a transparent way that will give us all confidence that when we
    try to help the Palestinian people, the money goes to the people.
        At the same time, as I mentioned in my talks, I do believe that we
    can get to a so-called conference within the 3-year period of time. But
    before--what has to happen is, we must have confidence in a state.
        Now, there are some who will say, ``Well, you know, there's only one
    person that could conceivably make this happen from the Palestinian
    side.'' I just simply don't believe that. I believe there's all kinds of
    brilliant and smart and capable Palestinians that, given the chance,
    given a chance to emerge--and by the way, people committed to peace--and
    given the chance to articulate that vision of peace, will do so.
        And I look forward to working on this--on the vision. It's the right
    vision. It will lead to peace.
        All parties have responsibilities, by the way, and we will continue
    to insist that people uphold their responsibilities.
        Yes, Patsy [Patricia Wilson, Reuters].

    Hebrew University Bombing

        Q Mr. President, thank you. I can't see you there. Israel has said
    it will respond militarily to yesterday's attacks. Do you support this,
    and is it the right thing to do at this time?

    [[Page 1332]]

        President Bush. Israel must defend herself, but as I say to all
    parties involved, we must keep the vision of peace in mind. We must be
    committed to peace. We must understand that the consequences we take to
    make the area more secure also must be--these decisions to make the area
    more secure must be made in the context of peace for the long run.
        And I'm just as angry as Israel is right now. I'm furious that
    innocent life is lost. However, through my fury, even though I am mad, I
    still believe peace is possible. And I will--and I know that we can
    improve the conditions of everybody in the region by working toward a
    vision that is hopeful and optimistic and not letting the terrorists
    destroy the possibility for peace.
        King Abdullah. Mr. President. I have to support the President's
    vision that he does understand that, the suffering that Israelis and
    Palestinians and Arabs are going through in the Middle East. And what
    has been so reassuring to me is that the President has the commitment to
    work very hard with his Government to give the hope for Arabs and
    Israelis to be able to move to the future.
        And we have always been working very closely with the President, and
    he does have the courage and conviction to stand up for the hope that
    we've all had in him and his Government to bring peace and prosperity to
    the Middle East. And we're very grateful for your position on that.
        President Bush. Have you got a final question?

    Regime Change in Iraq

        Q Mr. President, you seem to--the two of you seem to disagree on
    Iraq. Are you going to discuss those disagreements? And could you maybe
    elucidate on those disagreements?
        President Bush. Well, I appreciate that, John [John Cochran, ABC
    News]. The policy of my Government, our Government, of this
    administration, is regime change--for a reason. Saddam Hussein is a man who poisons his own people, who threatens his
    neighbors, who develops weapons of mass destruction. And I will assure
    His Majesty, like I have in the past, we're looking at all options, the
    use of all tools. I'm a patient man, but I haven't changed my opinion
    since the last time he was in the Oval Office. And one of the things we
    will do is consult with our friends, but he just needs to know how I
    feel. He knows how I feel, I have had the opportunity and the honor of
    explaining that to him before. And he'll find out I haven't changed my
    mind.
        King Abdullah. All I'd like to say is that, again, what I've found
    from day one with the President is, he understands the bigger picture
    and that at the end of the day, peace and stability for the Middle East
    has been at the forefront of his mind. And so we have many areas where
    we find common base to be able to move the region forward.
        President Bush. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:20 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.