[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book II)]
[September 23, 2004]
[Pages 2178-2189]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
The President's News Conference With Prime Minister Ayad Allawi of Iraq
September 23, 2004
President Bush. Thank you all for coming. I'm honored to stand with
the Prime Minister of a free and sovereign Iraq. Welcome, Mr. Prime
Minister. I applaud your leadership and your courage. It's my honor to
welcome a friend to the White House.
Prime Minister Allawi. Thank you.
President Bush. Mr. Prime Minister, you've accomplished a great deal
in less--in the 3 months since the transition to a free Iraq that is
governed by Iraqis. These have been months of steady progress, despite
persistent violence in some parts of your country. Iraqis and their
leaders are engaged in a great and historic enterprise to establish a
new democracy at the heart of a vital region.
As friends of liberty, the new leaders of Iraq are friends of
America and all civilized nations. As enemies of tyranny and terror, the
people of Iraq and the American troops and civilians supporting their
dreams of freedom have been the target of acts of violence. The enemies
of freedom are using suicide bombing, beheadings, and other horrific
acts to try to block progress. We're sickened by the atrocities, but
we'll never be intimidated. And freedom is winning.
Mr. Prime Minister, America will stand with you until freedom and
justice have prevailed. America's security and Iraq's future depend on
it.
The Iraqi people are showing great courage and great determination.
As terrorists have attacked Iraqi security forces, still more brave
Iraqis have come forward to volunteer to serve their country. As killers
have attempted to assassinate Government officials, Iraq's leaders have
refused to be intimidated, and the vast majority of Iraqis remain
committed to democracy.
The path to our safety and to Iraq's future as a democratic nation
lies in the resolute defense of freedom. If we stop fighting the
terrorists in Iraq, they would be free to plot and plan attacks
elsewhere, in America and other free nations. To retreat now would
betray our mission, our word, and our friends. Mr. Prime Minister,
America will keep its commitments.
The path ahead is difficult because a free Iraq has deadly enemies.
Remnants of the old regime and terrorist groups want to prevent Iraq's
elections and demoralize Iraq's allies. Because of that, Prime Minister
Allawi and I believe terrorist violence may well escalate as the January
elections draw near. The terrorists know that events in Iraq are
reaching a decisive moment. If elections go forward, democracy in Iraq
will put down permanent roots, and terrorists will suffer a dramatic
defeat. And because Iraq and America and our coalition are standing
firm, the Iraqi people and not the terrorists will determine Iraq's
future.
There's much at stake. Mr. Prime Minister, you recently said, ``The
war in Iraq now is not only an Iraqi war. It is a war for the civilized
world to fight terrorists and terrorism, and there is no route but the
route of winning.'' Prime Minister Tony Blair
recently called the struggle in Iraq the crucible in which the future of
global terrorism will be determined. I share the view of these strong
leaders that Iraq is a central front in the war on terror, and our only
option is victory.
We're making steady progress in implementing our five-step plan
toward the goal we all want, completing the mission so that Iraq is
stable and self-governing and American troops can come home with the
honor they have earned.
The first step was achieved on June 28th, not only on time but ahead
of schedule, when the coalition transferred full sovereignty to a
Government of Iraqi citizens.
The second step is to help Iraq's new Government establish stability
and security. Iraq must be able to defend itself, and
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Iraqi security forces are taking increasing responsibility for their
country's security. Nearly 100,000 fully trained and equipped Iraqi
soldiers, police officers, and other security personnel are working
today, and that total will rise to 125,000 by the end of this year. The
Iraqi Government is on track to build a force of over 200,000 security
personnel by the end of next year.
With the help of the American military, the training of the Iraqi
army is almost halfway complete. And in Najaf and other important areas,
Iraqi military forces have performed with skill and success. In Najaf,
Iraqi and coalition forces effectively surrounded, isolated, and engaged
enemy militias. Prime Minister Allawi and his Government reached out to
the local population to persuade citizens the path to a better future
would be found in political participation and economic progress. The
Interim Government then negotiated from a position of strength to end
the standoff.
Serious problems remain in several cities. Prime Minister Allawi
believes this combination of decisive action and outreach to peaceful
citizens is the most effective way to defeat terrorists and insurgents
and secure the peace of Iraq. And America stands with him.
The third step in our plan is to continue improving Iraq's
infrastructure. On television sets around the world, we see acts of
violence; yet in most of Iraq, children are about to go back to school,
parents are going back to work, and new businesses are being opened.
Over 100 companies are now listed on the Iraqi stock exchange, and an
average of 5 new companies are joining each week. Electricity has been
restored above prewar levels. Telephone service has increased
dramatically. More than 2,000 schools have been renovated, and millions
of new textbooks have been distributed.
There is much more work to be done. We've already spent more than a
billion dollars on urgent reconstruction projects in areas threatened by
the insurgency. In the next several months, over $9 billion will be
spent on contracts that will help Iraqis rebuild schools, refurbish
hospitals and health clinics, repair bridges, upgrade the electricity
grid, and modernize the communications system. Prime Minister Allawi and
I both agree that the pace of reconstruction should be accelerated.
We're working toward that goal.
The fourth step in our plan is to enlist additional international
support for Iraq's transition to democracy. The multinational force of
some 30 nations continues to help secure a free Iraq. We honor the
service men and women of Great Britain, Bulgaria, Denmark, El Salvador,
Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia,
Spain, Thailand, and Ukraine who've died, besides Iraqis and Americans,
for the cause of freedom and security of the world.
Our coalition is grateful that the United Nations has reestablished
its mission in Baghdad. We're grateful to the G-8 countries and the
European Union for pledging support to the new Iraqi Government. We're
grateful to the NATO Alliance for helping to train Iraqi forces. We're
grateful to many of Iraq's creditors, which have agreed to a further
reduction of Iraq's debt. Because all nations have an interest in the
success of a free Iraq, I urge all nations to join in this vital cause.
The fifth and most important step in our plan is to help Iraq
conduct free national elections no later than next January. An Iraqi
electoral commission is now up and running and has already hired
personnel and is making key decisions about election procedures. Just
this week, the commission began a public education campaign to inform
Iraqis about the process and encourage them to become voters. United
Nations electoral advisers are on the ground in Iraq, though more are
needed. Prime Minister Allawi and I have urged the U.N. to send
sufficient personnel to help ensure the success of Iraqi elections.
At every stage in this process of establishing self-government, the
Iraqi people and their leaders have met the schedules
[[Page 2180]]
they set, and have overcome their challenges with confidence. And under
this good man's leadership, they will continue to do so.
The war for Iraq's freedom is a fight against some of the most
ruthless and brutal men on Earth. In such a struggle, there will be good
days and there will be difficult days, but every day our resolve must
remain firm.
Prime Minister, today I want to leave you and the nation you serve
with a clear message: You have not faltered in a time of challenge, and
neither will America. Thank you for your leadership. You honor us with
your visit.
Prime Minister Allawi. Thank you.
Mr. President, thank you for those kind words. It is an honor to be
here today in your Nation's Capital. It is a great honor to share this
platform with you, a leader who worked tirelessly for the liberation of
my country.
These last few days have been difficult for us Iraqis, for you
Americans, and for all our allies. Let me start by saying that my
thoughts and prayers are with the families of those fighting today in
Iraq and, in particularly, with the families of those who have lost
loved ones at the hands of the terrorists or the insurgents.
Like this nation, which is--which in the face of such brutality is
standing strong against terrorism, so we Iraqis will not be cowed by the
terrorists. Your Government and my Government understand what is at
stake today in Iraq. Today, we face a concentrated campaign by
terrorists and by the enemies of all the values which we hold dear, a
campaign to shake our resolve and to prevent Iraq and Iraqis from
attaining the freedom and democracy which we have dreamed of for more
than the last 30 years. These terrorists understand all too well that
success in Iraq will be an enormous blow for terrorism worldwide and an
enormous step forward for peace and stability in the Middle East and in
the wider world.
I thank you, Mr. President, for your determination to stand firm
with us in Iraq and for the unflinching message which you are delivering
to our enemies.
Mr. President, I stand here today as a Prime Minister of a country
emerging finally from dark ages of tyranny, aggression, and corruption.
Like you, I knew how evil Saddam Hussein and his regime truly were. Like
you, I knew the damage he had brought on his country. Like you, I knew
of the wars he had started and the dangers he posed to my region and the
world, or at least I thought I knew. For I, like millions of other
Iraqis, were forced into exile, realizing that we could only fight
Saddam from outside Iraq. Even then we were not safe, as I myself can
testify.
But when I returned to Iraq, following the liberation of my country,
I was truly shocked by just how much damage Saddam had done to--in his
30 years of rule. Iraq is a deeply scarred society in a very troubled
region. Today, we are witnessing all too vividly the true extent of the
damage which Saddam inflicted on our society.
Mr. President, Iraqis thank God, thank America, and thank our allies
that Saddam is gone. We are safer; the region is safer; the world is
safer without him. But the scars will take time to--determination to--
time and determination to heal.
Again, Mr. President, I thank you for your leadership. We had an
excellent meeting today, building on the talks we had on Tuesday in New
York. We discussed the challenges ahead of us and how to confront them.
We discussed the plan to take Iraq through these difficulties and to
ensure that democratic elections take place on time next year. And we
discussed the importance of maintaining the strength of the coalition
and the support of the international community in helping us to succeed.
As we discussed, the plan focuses on building democracy, defeating the
insurgency, and improving the quality of life for the ordinary Iraqis.
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Our political plan is to isolate the terrorists from the communities
in which they operate. We are working hard to involve as many people as
we can in the political process, to cut the ground from under the
terrorists' feet. Of course, we know that terrorism cannot be defeated
with political tools alone, but we can weaken it. Ending local support
helps us to tackle the enemy head on, to identify, isolate, and
eradicate this cancer.
Our military plan will enable us to build and maintain security
across Iraq. Ordinary Iraqis are anxious to take over entirely this role
and to shoulder all the security burdens of our country as quickly as
possible. We do not want the multinational force to stay in Iraq any
more than you want to remain there. But for now, we need you. We need
the help of our American and multinational partners while we continue to
accelerate the training of Iraqi security forces.
The Iraqi Government now commands almost 100,000 trained and combat-
ready Iraqis, including police, national guard, and army. The Government
have accelerated the development of Iraqi special forces and established
a counterterrorist strike force to address the specific problems caused
by the insurgency. Our intelligence is getting better every day. You
have seen that in the successful resolution of the Najaf crisis and in
the targeted attacks against insurgents in Fallujah.
Finally, our economic plan is to improve the everyday lives of
Iraqis as we deliver both political and security progress. Here, thanks
to a large extent to the generous security and reconstruction funding
approved by the United States Congress, work is underway. Oil pipelines
are being repaired, basic services improved, streets and homes rebuilt,
schools, hospitals, and clinics reopened. Thousands of Iraqis have new
jobs. Salaries have been increased dramatically, in many cases five or
four times over. Iraq's economy, freed from the stranglehold of a failed
Ba'athist ideology, has finally started to flourish.
Mr. President, we also discussed the importance of holding free and
fair national and local elections this coming January as planned. I know
that some have speculated, even doubted whether this date can be met, so
let me be absolutely clear that elections will occur in Iraq on time in
January, because Iraqis want election on time. In 15 out of 18 Iraqi
provinces, the security situation is good for elections to be held
tomorrow. Here, Iraqis are getting on with their daily lives, hungry for
the new political and economic freedoms they are enjoying. Although this
is not what you see in your media, it is a fact.
The Iraqi elections may not be perfect. They may not be the best
elections that Iraq will ever hold. They will no-doubtedly be an excuse
for violence from those who despair and despise liberty, as we--as were
the first elections in Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Indonesia. But
they will take place, and they will be free and fair.
Finally, Mr. President, a word about international resolve. Iraq
cannot accomplish this alone. The international forces of tyranny and
oppression are lined up against us. Iraq is now the main battleground
between the forces of hope and the forces of fear. This is a struggle
which will shape the future of our world.
Already, Iraq has many partners. More than two dozen countries are
represented in Iraq with troops on the ground. We Iraqis are grateful
for each and every one of these courageous men and women. The United
Nations, the European Union, the G-8 have lent their strong support.
NATO, just yesterday, increased its commitment to Iraq. Many more
nations have committed to Iraq future in the form of economic aid. I am
grateful for the support. I look to my Arab brothers to join us fully.
I know it is difficult, but the coalition must stand firm. When
governments negotiate with terrorists, everyone in the free world
suffers. When political leaders sound
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the sirens of defeatism in the face of terrorism, it only encourages
more violence. Working together, we will defeat the killers, and we'll
do this by refusing to bargain about our most fundamental principles.
I understand why, faced with the daily headlines, there are those
doubts. I know too that there are--there will be many more setbacks and
obstacles to overcome. But these doubters underestimate our country, and
they risk fueling the hopes of terrorism.
Mr. President, there are those who want to divide our world. I
appeal to you, who have done so much already to help us, to ensure they
don't succeed.
Thank you.
President Bush. We'll take a couple of questions now. Terry [Terence
Hunt, Associated Press].
Support for the U.S. Military/Terrorists in Iraq
Q. Mr. President, two more Americans have been beheaded. More than
300 Iraqis have been killed in the last week. Fallujah is out of
Government control. And U.S. and Iraqi forces have been unable to bring
security to diplomatic and commercial centers of Baghdad. Why haven't
U.S. forces been able to capture or kill Al Zarqawi, who's blamed for
much of the violence? And what's your answer to General John Abizaid's
statement that, ``I think we will need more troops than we currently
have''?
President Bush. If that's what he says--
he was in my office this morning. He didn't say that to me, but if he
were to say that, I'd listen to him, just like I've said all along, that
when our commanders say that they need support, they'll get support,
because we're going to succeed in this mission.
The first part of the question was, how come we haven't found
Zarqawi? We're looking for him. He
hides. He is--he's got a effective weapon, and that is terror. I said
yesterday that our military cannot be defeated by these thugs, that--but
what they do is behead Americans so they can get on the TV screens. And
they're trying to shake our will and trying to shake the Iraqis' will.
That's what they're trying to do.
And like all Americans, I'm disgusted by that kind of behavior, but
I'm not going to yield. We're not going to abandon the Iraqi people.
It's in our interests that we win this battle in the war on terror. See,
I think that the Iraq theater is a part of the war on terror. That's
what the Prime Minister said as well. He believes the same thing. He
understands what's going on there. After all, he lives there.
And I believe that if we wilt or leave, America's security will be
much worse off. I believe that if Iraq--if we fail in Iraq, it's the
beginning of a long struggle. We will not have done our duty to our
children and our grandchildren. And so that's why I'm consistently
telling the Iraqi citizens that we will not be intimidated. That's why
my message to Mr. Zarqawi is: You
cannot drive us out of Iraq by your brutality.
It's tough work. Everybody knows that. It's hard work. But we must
not allow the actions of a few--and I emphasize that, I say that because
there are 25 million Iraqis, by far the vast majority of whom want to
live in a free society--and we cannot allow the actions of a few to
determine the fate of these good people as well as the fate of the
security of the United States.
Prime Minister Allawi. May I, Mr. President?
President Bush. Sure.
Prime Minister Allawi. I just have a few words to say to this
question.
We cannot really substitute Iraq for Fallujah. Fallujah is a small
part of Iraq. There are insurgents and terrorists who are active there
for geographical reasons. The people of Fallujah are adamant that they
should--whenever they are capable--to get rid of the insurgents. We have
been talking to them. I have been talking to them, engaged in dialog. My
deputy met with the
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Fallujah tribes 2 days ago. Things are moving in the right direction,
and we are hitting insurgents and terrorists in this part of the world.
To have more troops, we don't need. What we need really is to train
more Iraqis, because this is ultimately for Iraqis, for Iraqi security
forces to take responsibility for their own security and to defend the
rest of the civilized world. What is happening, sir, in Iraq is, really,
Iraq is becoming a frontline for a global fight against terrorists. So
that's why Zarqawi is not alone. There are other groups similar to
Zarqawi. There are groups who are insurgents who have stained their
hands with the murders of the Iraqi people, who are Saddam's loyalists.
They are working together. We assure you that we are going to defeat
these evil forces, in Iraq and throughout the world.
President Bush. Steve [Steve Holland, Reuters].
U.S. Strategy in Iraq
Q. Mr. President, John Kerry is accusing you of colossal failures of
judgment in Iraq and having failed to level with the American people
about how tough it is there. How do you respond to him?
President Bush. It's hard work in Iraq. Everybody knows that. We see
it on our TV. My message is that we will stay the course and stand with
these people so that they become free. It's in our national interest we
do so. I believe this is a central part in the war on terror. I believe
that when we succeed in Iraq, that America will be more secure. I also
know that a free Iraq will send a clear message to the part of the world
that is desperate for freedom.
It's hard work. The American people know that. But I believe it's
necessary work, and I believe a leader must be consistent and clear and
not change positions when times get tough. And the times have been hard.
These are hard times. But I understand that--what mixed messages do. You
can embolden an enemy by sending a mixed message. You can dispirit the
Iraqi people by sending mixed messages. You send the wrong message to
our troops by sending mixed messages. That's why I will continue to lead
with clarity and in a resolute way, because I understand the stakes.
These are high stakes, and we'll succeed.
Is anybody here from the Iraqi media? Why don't we--yes, please,
sir. Standing next to a fine man in Deans [Bob Deans, Cox Newspapers].
Reconstruction of Iraq
[At this point, a question was asked in Arabic.]
President Bush. I'm not so sure I agree with that. [Laughter]
[The interpreter then translated the question as follows.]
Q. The question to the U.S. President: What are the plans to
accelerate the arrival of the fund donated by various countries around
the world, the countries that are contributing to the rebuilding of
Iraq, in order to encourage investments in Iraq, particularly with a
very high unemployment rate?
President Bush. Right. There are at least three aspects to the
reconstruction projects. One is our own money. And as I mentioned in my
remarks, there's $7 billion committed. We've got more money to spend,
and we will spend it when contracts are let and when there's enough
security in certain neighborhoods to be able to spend the money wisely.
Secondly, part of making sure that the Iraq balance sheet is in good
shape is to continue to work on debt reductions. I named former
Secretary Jim Baker to go around to the
creditor nations. He received some commitments. And I believe that the
world will make its decision later on this year as to how much debt
reduction there will be in Iraq.
And thirdly, as you mentioned, other nations have pledged help to
the Iraqi people. And there will be a donors conference in
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Japan, kind of an accountability conference for people to come and
explain where they are in meeting their different promises.
Yes, NBC man, there--your name?
Q. Gregory [David Gregory, NBC News], sir.
President Bush. Gregory.
Saddam Hussein
Q. Mr. President, you say today that the work in Iraq is tough and
will remain tough. And yet, you travel this country, and a central theme
of your campaign is that America is safer because of the invasion of
Iraq. Can you understand why Americans may not believe you?
President Bush. No. Anybody who says that we are safer with Saddam
Hussein in power is wrong. We went into Iraq because Saddam Hussein
defied the demands of the free world. We went into Iraq after diplomacy
had failed. And we went into Iraq because I understand after September
the 11th we must take threats seriously, before they come to hurt us.
And I think it's a preposterous claim to say that America would be
better off with Saddam Hussein in power. I certainly know that that's
the case for America, and I certainly know it's the case for the Iraqi
people. These are the people who were tortured. This good man was abed
in a London flat, and he wakes up with two Saddam henchmen there with
axes, trying to cut him to pieces with an ax. And fortunately, he's
alive today. Fortunately, we call him friend and ally. But he knows what
it means to have lived under a society in which a thug like Saddam
Hussein would send people with axes to try to kill him in bed in a
London flat. No, this world is better off with Saddam Hussein in prison.
Q. Sir, may I just follow, because I don't think you're really
answering the question. I mean, I think you're responding to Senator
Kerry, but there are beheadings regularly, the insurgent violence
continues, and there are no weapons of mass destruction. My question is,
can you understand that Americans may not believe you when you say that
America is actually safer today?
President Bush. Imagine a world in which Saddam Hussein were still
in power. This is a man who harbored terrorists, Abu Abbas, Abu Nidal,
Zarqawi. This is a man who was a sworn
enemy of the United States of America. This is a man who used weapons of
mass destruction. Going from tyranny to democracy is hard work, but I
think the argument that says that Saddam Hussein--if Saddam Hussein were
still in power, we'd be better off is wrong.
King [John King, Cable News Network].
Decisionmaking on Troop Levels/National Intelligence Estimate
Q. Sir, I'd like you to answer Senator Kerry and other critics who
accuse you of hypocrisy or opportunism when on the one hand you put so
much stock in the CIA when it said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass
destruction and now say it is just guessing when it paints a pessimistic
picture of the political transition.
President Bush. Yes.
Q. And I like to, if you don't mind, follow on something the Prime
Minister just said. If General Abizaid says he needs more troops and the
Prime Minister says he does not want more troops, who wins?
President Bush. Let me talk to General Abizaid. As I said, he just came in to see me, and I want to make
sure--I'm not suggesting any of the reporters here might be taking
something out of context. That would never happen in America. But
nevertheless, I do want to sit down and talk to him about it. Obviously,
we can work this out. It's in the--if our commanders on the ground feel
it's in the interest of the Iraq citizens to provide more troops, we'll
talk about it. That's--that's why--they're friends--that's what we do
about friends.
First part of the question--oh, yes, yes----
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Q. They say you've been opportunistic----
President Bush. Yes, got it. Listen, the other day I was asked about
the NIE, which is a National Intelligence Estimate. This is a report
that talks about possibilities about what can happen in Iraq, not
probabilities. I used an unfortunate word, ``guess.'' I should have used
``estimate.'' And the CIA came and said, ``This is a possibility, this
is a possibility, and this is a possibility.'' But what's important for
the American people to hear is reality. And the reality is right here in
the form of the Prime Minister, and he is explaining what is happening
on the ground. That's the best report. And this report was written in
July, and now we are here in September. And as I said, ``estimate''
would have been a better word.
Q. Mr. President----
President Bush. Hold on for a minute. Hold on for a minute, please,
please. We've got other people from--hold on for a second.
Prime Minister Allawi. From the other----
President Bush. From Iraq. Are you from Iraq?
Q. No.
President Bush. Okay. No, hold on for a second. We need people from
Iraq first, please. One journalist from Iraq. You're not from Iraq,
Allen [Mike Allen, Washington Post], and neither are you, Elisabeth
[Elisabeth Bumiller, New York Times].
Prime Minister Allawi. Give Al Arabiya----
President Bush. Is anybody here from CBS? Roberts [John Roberts, CBS
News], there you are. Please.
Q. ----happy to be here.
President Bush. Happy to be here, thank you. [Laughter]
Q. Sir, you----
President Bush. Terry [Terry Moran, ABC News], you're next.
Iraqi Elections/Security Situation in Iraq
Q. You have been accused on the campaign trail in this election year
of painting an overly optimistic portrait of the situation on the ground
in Iraq. Yesterday, in Valley Forge, you said that there was a
``handful'' of people who were willing to kill to try to disrupt the
process. Isn't that really understating the case, particularly when
there are intelligence reports that hundreds if not thousands of foreign
fighters are streaming across the border from Syria to take up the fight
of the insurgency? And do you believe, given the situation on the ground
in Fallujah and other northern cities in the Sunni Triangle, that
elections are possible in 4 months?
President Bush. I do, because the Prime Minister told me they are.
He is--he's interested in moving this country forward. And you heard his
statement, and I believe him.
The first part of the question?
Q. The first question was, aren't you being----
President Bush. Yes, got it, got it. Yes. Yesterday----
Q. ----disingenuous----
President Bush. Right. I said--look, what we're seeing on our TV
screens are the acts of suicide bombers. They're the people that are
affecting the daily--the nightly news. And they know its effect. I said
that the enemy cannot defeat us militarily. What they can do is take
acts of violence that try to discourage us and try to discourage the
Prime Minister and the people of Iraq.
Look, I'm fully aware we're fighting former Ba'athists and
Zarqawi network people. But by far, the
vast majority of people, John, and--of 25 million people--want to live
in freedom. My point is, is that a few people, relative to the whole,
are trying to stop the march of freedom.
It is tough work. Everybody in America knows that, and the
fundamental question is, are we going to allow the tough work to cause
us to retreat, to waver? And my
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answer to the American people and the Iraqi people and to the enemy is
that we will complete our mission. We will do our duty. We will adjust
strategies on the ground, depending upon the tactics of the enemy, but
we're not going to allow the suiciders to drive us out of Iraq.
Terry.
Prime Minister Allawi. May I----
President Bush. Yes, please.
Prime Minister Allawi. Let me explain something which is very
important. I have noticed--and the media have been neglected and omitted
several times--in the Western media--Iraq is made out of 18 provinces,
18, 1-8. Out of these 18 provinces, 14 to 15 are completely safe; there
are no problems. And I can count them for you, starting from Basra
moving into Iraq Kurdistan. There are three areas, three provinces where
there are pockets of insurgents, pockets of terrorists who are acting
there and are moving from there to inflict damage elsewhere in the
country.
So really, if you care to look at Iraq properly and go from Basra to
Nasiriyah to Kut to Diyala to Najaf to Karbala to Diwaniya to Samarra to
Kirkuk to Sulaymaniyah to Dahuk to Arbil, there are no problems. It's
safe. It's good. There are problems in Fallujah. Fallujah is part of a
province; the province is called Al Anbar. It's vast, very big. It has
many other important towns such as Ana, such as Rawa, such as Ramadi.
There is nothing there. In Ana and Rawa, indeed, there is nothing, no
problem, except on a small pocket in Fallujah.
So really, I call upon the responsible media throughout the world,
not only here, to look at the facts as they are in Iraq and to propagate
these facts to the international community.
I am not trying to undermine that there are dangers. There are
dangers in Iraq. There are problems, and we are facing international
terrorist onslaught on Iraq. I, personally, receive every day a threat.
In the last 4 weeks, they found four conspiracies to kill me. And
likewise, they are killing people--they are killing officials; they are
killing innocent people. But the Iraqis are not deterred, and we are not
going to be deterred. I went the next day and saw our recruitment center
for the police, after they killed, massacred 40, 45 people. I found
hundreds of people coming to be volunteer--to volunteer to the police
and to the army. I spoke to them. They are all upbeat. They are resolved
to beat terrorism and to defeat the insurgents.
These are facts that one really needs to explain to you, and you
need to explain it to the people.
President Bush. Terry.
Iraqi Support for Coalition Efforts
Q. Mr. President and Mr. Prime Minister, I'd like to ask about the
Iraqi people. Both of you have spoken for them today, and yet, over the
past several months, there have been polls conducted by the Coalition
Provisional Authority, by the Oxford Institute, and other reputable
organizations that have found very strong majorities do not see the
United States as a liberator but as an occupier, are unhappy with
American policy, and want us out. Don't the real voices of the Iraqi
people, themselves, contradict the rosy scenarios you're painting here
today?
President Bush. Let me start by that. You said the poll was taken
when the CPA was there?
Q. One poll----
President Bush. Yes, okay, let me stop you. First of all, the Iraqi
people now have got Iraqi leadership. Prime Minister Allawi and his
Cabinet are making decisions on behalf of the Iraqi people. Secondly, I
saw a poll that said the right track/wrong track in Iraq was better than
here in America. [Laughter] It's pretty darn strong. I mean, the people
see a better future.
Talk to the leader. I agree; I'm not the expert on how the Iraqi
people think, because I live in America, where it's nice and safe and
secure. But I talk to this man.
[[Page 2187]]
One reason I'm optimistic about our ability to get the job done is
because I talk to the Iraqi Prime Minister. I'm also optimistic that
people will choose freedom over tyranny every time. That's what I
believe.
But Mr. Prime Minister, you might answer the question on the polls.
There's a lot of polls. Sometimes they show you up and sometimes they
show you down, as you might remember.
Prime Minister Allawi. Let me take a minute to explain to you
something, a factual event. I meet, personally, every now and then with
the fringes of the so-called resistance to try and talk them into
respecting law and order and withdraw their arms. And I ask them in a
very honest, very open way, I say to them, ``What do you want to
achieve? Could you know exactly what you want to achieve? Do you want to
bring Saddam back from the hole in the ground, living like a rat? Do you
want to bring him back to rule Iraq? Or do you want to bring bin Laden
or similar persons to bin Laden to rule Iraq? If you want to do this, we
will fight you room to room, house to house. If you want to be part of
the political process, you have to be part of the political process, you
are welcome.''
``If you do not want the multinational force in Iraq''--I was
talking to Fallujah people recently, to tribes, ex-army officers, ex-
Saddam loyalists--``if you want the multinational force out, win the
elections. Go to the United Nations, talk to the Security Council, and
tell them we don't need the multinational forces. But I tell you what is
going to happen. If you ask the multinational force to leave
prematurely''--this is me talking to the Fallujah people--``your country
will be in ruins, and we cannot now, on our feet, stand and fight
terrorism and global terrorism.''
These are realities. And once you are in Iraq, I will be your* host.
I can put you together with these people in my home, and you can talk to
them. And you can find out yourselves that the Iraqis tremendously, by
and large, respect the United States and respect the other partners in
the coalition for helping Iraq, not only in liberation but now in
helping Iraq to rebuild itself and to rebuild its institutions.
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*White House correction.
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President Bush. Let me say one other thing about why I'm optimistic
we'll succeed. By the way, you can understand it's tough and still be
optimistic. You can understand how hard it is and believe we'll succeed.
I remember when some were talking about the possibility of success
in Afghanistan in pretty stark terms. I don't know if you remember that
period or not, but there was a period where some were saying that it
wasn't possible for democracy to come forward in Afghanistan. Today, 10
million citizens have registered to vote, 41 percent of whom are women.
It's a phenomenal statistic, I think. I think it shows what's possible
if you believe--if you have certain beliefs from which you won't waver.
And I believe people yearn to be free.
Again, I think if you look at polls--which sometimes I do, and
sometimes I don't, admittedly, Moran--that by far the vast majority of
Iraqis want to vote. They want to live in freedom. And the fundamental
question is, do we--is this: Do we have the will to stay? Do we have the
will to put smart strategy in place? I've laid out the strategy. We're
implementing the strategy. But really, do we have the will to complete
the mission? And my message to the Iraqi people and to the enemy and to
our troops in harm's way and to our allies is: We'll complete the
mission.
Listen, last question--Wendell [Wendell Goler, Fox News Channel].
And then we--I think it's probably time to head into the air-
conditioning----
Q. Mr. President----
President Bush. Excuse me, ma'am.
Wendell.
[[Page 2188]]
Impact of Mixed Signals on Coalition Efforts
Q. Thank you, sir. Mr. President, in the past couple of days you
have been talking about the consequences of the mixed messages you say
John Kerry sends. I want to ask you, sir, do you mean immediate
consequences, not just if the Senator is elected? Do you mean that the
messages being sent now have a negative effect on the effort in Iraq?
And does making the war in Iraq a part of a campaign also have
consequences on the situation there, sir?
President Bush. Well, I think--look, in a campaign, it's--the war of
Iraq is going to be part of a campaign. It's--this is a major moment in
American history. These are historic times, and I view it as a great
opportunity to help secure our country. As I said before, Iraq is a
central part of the war on terror, and I believe it's important for us
to succeed there because of that.
See, 9/11 changed everything. September the 11th meant that we had
to deal with a person like Saddam Hussein. Of
course, I was hoping it could be done diplomatically. But diplomacy
failed, and so the last resort of a President is to use force. And we
did, and now we're helping the Iraqis.
The Prime Minister said something very interesting a while ago, and
it's important for the American people to understand. Our strategy is to
help the Iraqis help themselves. It's important that we train Iraqi
troops. There are nearly 100,000 troops trained. The Iraqi* national
army is a part of the army. By the way, it was the Iraqi* national army
that went into Najaf and did the work there. There's a regular army
being trained. There are border guards being trained. There are police
being trained. That's a key part of our mission.
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*White House correction.
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But Wendell, I think the world watches America. We're an influential
nation, and everybody watches what we say. And I think it's very
important for the American President to mean what he says. That's why I
understand that the enemy could misread what I say. That's why I try to
be as clearly as I can. I don't want them to be emboldened by any
confusion or doubt. I don't want them to think that, well, maybe all
they've got to do is attack, and we'll shirk our duties. See, they've
been emboldened before. They have caused certain nations to withdraw
from coalitions as a result of their action, such action reinforcing the
ability for suiciders, for example, to affect free societies. I know
that. I've seen firsthand the tactics of these killers. And so
therefore, I think it's very important for all of us involved in the
process not to send mixed signals. I don't know what the enemy thinks
today. But I do know they're watching America very carefully. I do know
they want to affect other nations by their acts of murder. I do know
they were emboldened when Spain withdrew from Iraq as a result of
attacks and election.
And therefore, I have a duty to our troops, for starters--most
importantly--not to send a mixed signal. I want our troops to know that
the sacrifices they are making are worthwhile and necessary for the
security of this country.
And I want--don't want the Iraqis to fear that, oh, all of a sudden
there will be a change of heart, that there'll be tough times
politically or that a poll might say something and, therefore, cause me
to change my opinion. I don't want them to think that, because they have
to make the hard choices for freedom. They have to go from a society
that has been tortured by a brutal thug to a society in which they take
responsibility for their daily lives.
I don't want the coalition forces to feel like we're wavering. And
so I understand that people watch our words, and that's an explanation
of why I say what I say.
Listen, thank you all very much.
Mr. Prime Minister, appreciate you. Good job.
[[Page 2189]]
Prime Minister Allawi. Okay. Thank you.
President Bush. Proud you're here.
Note: The President's news conference began at 12:06 p.m. in the Rose
Garden at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Prime Minister
Tony Blair of the United Kingdom; Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley,
American citizens who were killed in Iraq on September 20 and 21,
respectively, by militants led by senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al
Zarqawi; Gen. John P. Abizaid, USA, combatant commander, U.S. Central
Command; James A. Baker III, former Presidential envoy on the issue of
Iraqi debt; and former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. Prime Minister
Allawi referred to Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist
organization.