    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [April 5, 2004]
    [Pages 525-527]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the Travel Pool and an Exchange With Reporters in Charlotte
    April 5, 2004

    Visit With Family of U.S. Soldier Killed in Iraq

        The President. I just met with Specialist Chris Hill's family from North Carolina. You know, I told
    the family how much we appreciated his sacrifice--he was killed in
    Iraq--and assured him that we would stay the course, that a free Iraq
    was very important for peace in the world, long-term peace, and that
    we're being challenged in Iraq because there are people there that hate
    freedom. But the family was pleased to hear that we would--that its son
    would not have died in vain. And that's an important message that I
    wanted to share with you today.
        Let me ask you a couple of questions. Who is the AP person?
        Q. I am.
        The President. You are? Well, ask it.
        Q. Sir, in regard to----
        The President. Who are you talking to?

    Deadline for Transfer of Iraqi Sovereignty/Situation in Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, in regard to the June 30th deadline, is there a
    chance that that would be moved back?
        The President. No, the intention is to make sure the deadline
    remains the same. I believe we can transfer authority by June 30th.
    We're working toward that date. We're obviously constantly in touch with
    Jerry Bremer on the transfer
    of sovereignty. The United Nations is over there now--the United Nations
    representative is there now to work on the--on a--on to whom we transfer
    sovereignty. I mean, in other words, it's one thing to decide to
    transfer. We're now in the process of deciding what the entity will look
    like to whom we will transfer sovereignty. But no, the date remains
    firm.
        Stretch [Richard Keil, Bloomberg News].
        Q. Mr. President, are you concerned at all that events like we've
    seen over the last week in Iraq are going to make it tougher to meet
    that deadline or increase pressure from the U.N. or anyone else?
        The President. Well, I think there's--my judgment is, is that the
    closer we come to the deadline, the more likely it is people will
    challenge our will. In other words, it provides a convenient excuse to
    attack. In this particular incident, with Sadr, this is one person who is deciding that rather than allow
    democracy to flourish, he's going to exercise force. And we just can't
    let it stand. As I understand, the CPA today announced a warrant for his
    arrest. This is one person--this is a person, and followers, who are
    trying to say, ``We don't want democracy. As a matter of fact, we'll
    decide the course of democracy by the use of force.'' And that is the
    opposite of democracy. And it's--that's why the CPA issued the statement
    they issued.
        But Stretch, I think throughout this period there's going to be
    tests. We were tested in Fallujah. And the desire for those who do not
    want there to be a free and democratic Iraq is to shake our will through
    acts of violence and terror. It's not only our will; it's the will of
    other coalition forces, and it's the will of the Iraqi people. As you
    know, that many Iraqis have been targeted. As a matter of fact, the Al
    Qaida affiliate Zarqawi made it clear
    that part of the strategy was to turn Shi'a on Sunni by killing innocent
    Iraqis.
        And we've got to stay the course, and we will stay the course. The
    message to the Iraqi citizens is, they don't have to fear that America
    will turn and run. And that's an important message for them to hear. If
    they think that we're not sincere about staying the course, many people
    will not continue to take a risk toward--take the risk toward freedom
    and democracy.

    [[Page 526]]

        Yes, Tamara [Tamara Lipper, Newsweek].

    Selection of U.S. Ambassador to Iraq

        Q. Mr. President, can you tell us a little bit about your
    decisionmaking for the next ambassador to Iraq, and what you're looking
    for in the person who would represent the administration?
        The President. Good question. I am looking for somebody who can run
    a big embassy, somebody who understands the relationship between an
    embassy and the military. Because one of the things that's going to be
    very important for the next ambassador to Iraq--this will be the person
    that takes Jerry Bremer's
    place--will be the willingness and capability of working with a very
    strong--a country in which there's a very strong U.S. military presence
    as well as a coalition presence. This person is going to need to have
    enough experience to basically start an embassy from the ground up and
    also be willing to transfer certain people and authorities from the CPA
    to the embassy itself. In other words, it's a very complex task that's
    going to require a skilled soul. And we're in the process of searching
    it out now.

    President's Upcoming Meeting With the
    9/11 Commission

        Q. Mr. President, can you just tell me--the 9/11 Commission, the
    Chairman yesterday, Governor Kean, said a date had been set, I think,
    for your testimony and the Vice President's. Is that----
        The President. I would call it a meeting.
        Q. A meeting, I'm sorry.
        The President. Thank you.
        Q. Has that date been set, and could you share it with us? And
    number two, can you tell us the rationale as to why you have chosen to
    testify or rather meet with them with the Vice President?
        The President. First of all, it will be a great opportunity from
    them to ask both of us our opinions on the subject. And we're meeting
    with the entire Commission. I'm not exactly sure what the status is of
    putting out the date. I told them I'd meet with them at a time that's
    convenient for all of us, and hopefully we'll come to that date soon.I
    look forward to sharing information with them. Let me just be very clear
    about this: Had we had the information that was necessary to stop an
    attack, I'd have stopped the attack. And I'm convinced any other
    government would have too. I mean, make no mistake about it, if we'd
    have known that the enemy was going to fly airplanes into our buildings,
    we'd have done everything in our power to stop it. And what is important
    for them to hear not only is that, but that when I realized that the
    stakes had changed, that this country immediately went on war footing,
    and we went to war against Al Qaida. It took me very little time to make
    up my mind, once I determined Al Qaida to do it, to say we're going to
    go get them. And we have, and we're going to keep after them until
    they're brought to justice and America is secure.
        But I'm looking forward to the conversation. I'm looking forward to
    Condi testifying. I made a decision to
    allow her to do so because I was assured that it would not jeopardize
    executive privilege. And she'll be great. She's a very smart, capable
    person who knows exactly what took place and will lay out the facts. And
    that's what the Commission's job is meant to do, and that's what the
    American people want to see. I'm looking forward to people hearing her.
        All right, got to go to work. Thanks. Good to see you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:31 a.m. at Central Piedmont Community
    College-Central Campus. In his remarks, he referred to L. Paul ``Jerry''
    Bremer III, Presidential Envoy to Iraq; Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada Al
    Sadr; senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi; and National
    Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. A reporter referred to Thomas H.
    Kean, Chairman, National

    [[Page 527]]

    Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11
    Commission).