    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [September 25, 2002]
    [Pages 1656-1658]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Prior to Discussions With President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia and an Exchange With Reporters
    September 25, 2002

        President Bush. Thank you. Welcome. Here's what we're going to do. I
    am going to give a statement; President Uribe will give a statement. I
    will call upon an American journalist; the President will call upon a
    Colombian journalist. I will then call upon another American journalist;
    the President will call upon a Colombian journalist. And then you all
    will leave. [Laughter]
        Mr. President, welcome to the Oval Office. It is my honor to welcome
    this good man, this friend of freedom, to the Oval Office. I have been
    incredibly impressed by his vision for a peaceful Colombia and a
    prosperous Colombia. He's a man who told the people of his country that
    he would work to eradicate terrorism, narcotrafficking. The Colombian
    people believe him, and so do I. And today I want to affirm our
    country's strong desire to help the Colombian Government and the
    Colombian people prosper and to live in freedom. I appreciate his
    leadership. I appreciate his strength of character. I appreciate his
    clear vision.
        So, Mr. President, bienvenidos a la Oval Office, aqui en la Casa
    Blanca.
        President Uribe. Muchas gracias, Presidente.

    [At this point, President Uribe continued in Spanish, and no translation
    was provided.]

        President Bush. Thank you, sir.
        Would you like that translated into English?

    [[Page 1657]]

        President Uribe. Thank you, Mr. President, for this warm welcome. We
    need the support of your country, the support of your Government, your
    personal support for my country to solve problems of violence, economic
    and social problems. You have set up a very effective example of the way
    we need to go on to fight and to defeat terrorism. We are in necessity
    to have allies such as you and your Government for Colombians to restore
    law and order, for Colombians to restore a way of creating employment,
    of improvement of our standard of living.
        Thank you, Mr. President.
        President Bush. Por nada. [Laughter]
        Patsy Wilson, Reuters.

    President Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Al Qaida

        Q. Mr. President, do you believe that Saddam Hussein is a bigger
    threat to the United States than Al Qaida?
        President Bush. That's a--that is a interesting question. I'm trying
    to think of something humorous to say--[laughter]--but I can't when I
    think about Al Qaida and Saddam Hussein. They're both risks. They're
    both dangerous. The difference, of course, is that Al Qaida likes to
    hijack governments. Saddam Hussein is a dictator of a government. Al
    Qaida hides; Saddam doesn't. But the danger is, is that they work in
    concert. The danger is, is that Al Qaida becomes an extension of
    Saddam's madness and his hatred and his capacity to extend weapons of
    mass destruction around the world.
        Both of them need to be dealt with. The war on terror--you can't
    distinguish between Al Qaida and Saddam when you talk about the war on
    terror. And so it's a comparison that is--I can't make because I can't
    distinguish between the two, because they're both equally as bad and
    equally as evil and equally as destructive.
        Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. Question for a Colombian reporter?

    Assistance to Colombia

        Q. Mr. President Bush, the Colombian Government is here asking for
    support from the U.S. Government, economic support, both with the Andean
    Trade Preference Act and also maybe from the Department of Treasury. Is
    the Government--the U.S. Government willing to help the Colombian
    Government?
        President Bush. We're certainly willing to help the Government and
    the Colombian people realize a prosperous future. I've asked my
    Secretary of Treasury to be here today to
    listen to the dialog with the President. There will be further
    discussions. The Andean Trade Preference Act has been renewed and
    revitalized to the benefit of the Colombian economy. We had a big
    discussion here in America, and I got a favorable vote out of our
    Congress that I'm confident will benefit those who seek work in
    Colombia. We look forward to working with international institutions to
    help this good man and this good--important country to grow and prosper.
        And so the purpose of this visit is to not only talk about
    prosperity and economic growth and vitality, but it's also to talk about
    how to fight terror. And I'm looking forward to a good and active
    discussion.
        Terry Moran [ABC News].

    2002 Elections and the War on Terrorism

        Q. Mr. President, are you politicizing the war? Do you think
    Americans should base their vote in November in part on where a
    candidate stands on the war?
        President Bush. I think the American people ought to understand that
    life has changed here in this country, that it used to be two oceans
    would separate us from danger, that we were quite comfortable in our
    shores knowing that it would take an unusual circumstance to be
    attacked. After September the 11th, we were attacked, and the American
    people understand that this country must deal with the true threats.
        I am as determined today as I was on September the 11th to pursue an
    enemy

    [[Page 1658]]

    which still wants to hurt America. I am absolutely determined to make
    sure that 10 years from now we don't look back and say, ``What happened?
    Why did America go soft? Why did we ignore true threats that face our
    people?''
        And I hope the American people understand that. I was concerned, of
    course, after September the 11th, that as time went by, some might
    forget, some might forget the true threats. Of course, I'm reminded of
    that every day when I come here to the Oval Office, that we face true
    threats. And Terry, my job is to protect the American people. It's my
    most important job, most important assignment I have. And I will
    continue to do that, regardless of the season.
        Q. So it's a legitimate political issue?
        President Bush. Legitimate national security concern is what it is.
    You may try to politicize it. I view it as my main obligation; that is
    to protect the American people. It's the most important job this
    President will have, and it's the most important job future Presidents
    will have, because the nature of war has changed. We're vulnerable, and
    therefore, I expect--the American people should expect me, and any
    President, to do everything we can to protect the homeland. And I will;
    I'll do that.

    Carlos Costano/International Criminal Court

        Q. Mr. President, a question for both. What are your reactions on
    the U.S. extradition request of Colombian paramilitary leader Carlos
    Costano? And if you would also answer, Colombia sent you a letter
    yesterday saying that there's no need to sign a bilateral agreement with
    the U.S. in terms of the ICC that you are seeking to sign with all other
    countries in the world. Do you think--do you still like a bilateral
    agreement with Colombia and those----
        President Bush. Yes, we want an Article 98 with all countries,
    absolutely. I strongly reject the ICC. I'm not going to accept an ICC.
    I'm not going to put ourselves in a position where our soldiers and
    diplomats get hauled into a court over which we have got--the
    prosecutors whom we don't know, the judges--I mean, we're not going to
    allow ourselves to do that. And our friends shouldn't want us to be put
    in that position. Therefore, we're seeking Article 98s from our friends.
        And we will hold people to account. If they're a terrorist, we're
    going to hold them to account. So the guy who got indicted yesterday
    made a decision to be a terrorist. We made a decision to hold him to
    account. And we will continue to do that. We believe that's part of our
    responsibility as freedom-loving people.
        And I look forward to working with President Uribe to hold others to
    account, if they continue to terrorize the world. And terrorism--
    terrorists attacked our country and hurt us. If they attack Colombia and
    hurt them, they're still equally as guilty, as far as we're concerned.
    It doesn't matter who the victim is. What matters is whether or not
    they're practicing terrorist activities.
        And we will continue to fight terror. It's our obligation, our duty.
    History has called us into action.
        Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:32 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Carlos Costano, leader of the
    United Self-Defense Forces, who was indicted on drug trafficking
    charges. The President also referred to the U.S. effort to seek a
    bilateral agreement with the Government of Colombia under Article 98 of
    the Rome Treaty, with the aim of preventing U.S. nationals from falling
    under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.