    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [December 15, 2005]
    [Pages 1859-1860]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following a Meeting With Senators John McCain and John Warner
    December 15, 2005

        The President. It's my honor to welcome two good friends, the
    chairman, John Warner, and of course, John McCain--Senator John McCain,
    here to the Oval Office. We share a common goal and that is to protect
    the American people and to win the war on terror.
        Senator McCain has been a leader to make sure that the United States
    of America upholds the values of America as we fight and win this war on
    terror. And we've been happy to work with him to achieve a common
    objective, and that is to make it clear to the world that this
    Government does not torture and that we adhere to the international
    convention of torture, whether it be here at home or abroad. And so we
    have worked very closely with the Senator and others to achieve that
    objective as well as to provide protections for those who are on the
    frontline of fighting the terrorists.
        And so I appreciate your hard work, Senator. You're a good man who
    honors the values of America. I also appreciate the strong support that
    you've given--both of you have given in the war on terror. The central
    front of that war is Iraq. Part of

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    our strategy is to train Iraqis so they can join our forces and fight
    off the terrorists and, eventually, have the Iraqis be able to stand on
    their own. The other part is the democratic process that will help
    marginalize the Saddamists and the rejectionists.
        And today the Iraqi people went to the polls. I was so honored to
    welcome some young Iraqi Fulbright scholars here that were able to vote.
    And to see the joy--and to hear the joy they expressed and to see the
    joy on their faces after having just voted in a--for a permanent
    Government and a new Constitution was just a fantastic experience.
        And so I want to welcome you all to the Oval Office. Thanks for
    coming. Thanks for your good work on behalf of America.
        Senator McCain. Thank you, Mr. President. I want to take this
    opportunity to thank you for the effort that you made to resolve this
    very difficult issue. I thank you for your active participation in it.
    And I also want to thank your National Security Adviser, Steve Hadley,
    who played a very important role as well. And I'm very pleased that we
    reached this agreement, and now we can move forward and make sure that
    the whole world knows that, as the President has stated many times, that
    we do not practice cruel, inhuman treatment or torture.
        This agreement basically does two things: One, puts into the Army
    Field Manual the specific procedures for interrogations. And two, it
    prohibits cruel, inhumane--or torture.
        In our negotiations, there was legitimate concerns raised by the
    administration concerning the rights of interrogators. And taking
    language from the Uniform Code of Military Justice, we provide them with
    legal counsel and certain protections that a reasonable person might
    view as carrying out of orders, not to contradict the Nuremberg
    decision, which, of course, said that obeying orders is not a sufficient
    defense.
        I, again, thank the President. And I would like to also repeat,
    we've sent a message to the world that the United States is not like the
    terrorists. We have no grief for them, but what we are is a nation that
    upholds values and standards of behavior and treatment of all people, no
    matter how evil or bad they are. And I think that this will help us
    enormously in winning the war for the hearts and minds of people
    throughout the world in the war on terror.
        And again, I want to thank the President. I want to thank Steve
    Hadley. I thank all the people who worked so hard to come to this
    agreement. Now I think we can move forward with winning the war on
    terror and in Iraq.
        I thank you, Mr. President.
        The President. Thanks, John.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:41 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White
    House.