[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 47 (Monday, November 26, 2001)]
[Pages 1689-1691]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Cabinet Meeting and an Exchange With Reporters

November 19, 2001

Operation Enduring Freedom

    The President. We just had a very productive Cabinet meeting. We 
discussed a variety of subjects, spent a fair amount of time on the war 
and the progress we're making in Afghanistan. We have made great 
progress there, but there's still a lot of work to do. And the degree of 
difficulty is increasing as we work hard to achieve our objectives, not 
the least of which is to bring the Al Qaida to justice.
    They're running, and they're trying to hide, and we're in pursuit. 
And we will stay the course until we bring them to justice. The American 
people must know it may take longer than some anticipate. They also need 
to know that we're a very patient group.
    Secondly, we've been briefed by Andrew Natsios of the USAID about 
the humanitarian aid mission. And that, too, is a tough mission. There 
are millions of Afghans who were starving prior to September the 11th as 
a result of drought. Obviously, to complicate matters, there has been a 
war in that land. And yet, this good Nation is doing everything we can 
to move enormous amounts of food into the areas where people are likely 
to starve. I'm talking about thousands of tons, metric tons, of food. 
There are over 2,000 trucks now in place that are able to move more 
freely now that the Northern Alliance and our military have liberated 
the northern part of Afghanistan, where the starvation is most likely to 
occur.
    And so we've had a great discussion. And I'm proud of the way our 
Cabinet has been performing during these very difficult periods.
    I'd be glad to answer a few questions. John [John Roberts, CBS 
News], have you got one?

Situation in the Middle East

    Q. Mr. President, your Secretary of State a little while ago said 
that he would use U.S. influence to try to bring the two sides together 
and forge a Middle East peace. Wouldn't it be swifter, sir, if you used 
the power of your office to do it personally, by meeting with these 
individuals? And at what point would you do that?
    The President. Well, John, first of all, this administration has 
been working the Middle East ever since we came into office. I've been 
on the phone with the Prime Minister of Israel, our longtime friend, a 
lot, as has the Secretary of State. We've been dealing with the 
Europeans--all kinds of people are interested in the Middle East--
reminding them that it takes willing parties. It takes--people must say 
that they want to work for peace.
    And so our objective is to convince both parties to make a conscious 
decision to come to the peace table. And when they do so, we're more 
than willing to help. But first things first--is to convince the parties 
that peace is necessary.
    It also is important for us to remind Mr. Arafat that in order for 
the peace discussions to begin, that the level of violence must 
substantially be reduced. And so we're working hard with not only the 
Palestinians but as well as with others who have an interest in the area 
to work to reduce violence, so that peace discussions can begin in 
relative security.
    Our mind is, of course, on the war in Afghanistan, but it hasn't 
diverted our attention away from the need to work hard to bring peace to 
the Middle East. And we would hope to be able to do so.

[[Page 1690]]

Usama bin Laden

    Q. Mr. President, there have been reports out of Afghanistan that 
the U.S. military knows or thinks they know where bin Laden might be. 
Does that mean----
    The President. I certainly hope so.
    Q. Does that mean the fellow to your left knows? And how soon might 
America see bin Laden----
    The President. Listen, if our military knew where Mr. bin Laden was, 
he would be brought to justice. We're hunting him down. He runs, and he 
hides. But as we've said repeatedly, the noose is beginning to narrow; 
the net is getting tighter. But this is a difficult assignment. Things 
happened very quickly in Afghanistan recently, as--went to show that our 
strategy was a well-thought-out strategy. But the objective is yet to be 
achieved, and we're not leaving until we do achieve the objective.
    And the Secretary of Defense and General Tommy Franks, who is doing 
a magnificent job, understand the objective. We talk about it every 
single morning. And we will achieve the objective. But I've told the 
American people right from the get-go of this effort: It may take a 
month; it may take a year; or however long it takes, we'll succeed.

Economic Stimulus Legislation

    Q. Sir, what can you do personally to jumpstart negotiations further 
on an economic stimulus package? And do you still need one?
    The President. Well, I think we need an economic stimulus package. 
I've said so from the beginning. I'll be meeting a week from tomorrow 
with the leadership of the Senate and the House and urge the Senators to 
bring a bill to the floor and get it into conference, so we can resolve 
whatever differences there may be.
    There was a period of time when people said we'd never get an 
airline security bill. And after a lot of hours of hard work, we got a 
good bill, which I signed today. And I hope I'll be able to sign an 
economic stimulus package; I think I will be able to do so. But it's 
going to require the Senators to come together and move a bill, and then 
we can reconcile the differences with the House version.

Usama bin Laden

    Q. Mr. President, you just said the noose is getting tighter. 
Without compromising the search, do you have evidence you're getting 
closer to bin Laden?
    The President. Well, it's going to be hard for me to tell you that 
without compromising the search, except I can point to the map of 
Afghanistan where more and more territory are now in friendly hands. And 
the people of Afghanistan understand what Al Qaida and the Taliban 
Government have meant to their ordinary lives. Women are treated lower 
than low. There's no respect for human life. There's jubilation in the 
cities that we have liberated. And the sooner Al Qaida is brought to 
justice, the sooner Afghanistan will return to normal. People understand 
that.
    And so we've got--let me put it to you this way--the more territory 
we gain, the more success there is on the ground, the more people we've 
got looking to help us in our mission. The Secretary of Defense is doing 
everything he can, as are our military, to bring these people to 
justice, and we will.
    Press Assistant Reed Dickens. Thank you all. Lights. Thank you all.
    The President. Go ahead, Terry [Terry Moran, ABC News].

Military Order

    Q. On the subject of justice, what do you say to the Members of 
Congress and people in law schools and civil liberties----
    The President. On what subject?
    Q. On justice, that your order establishing military----
    The President. Yes.
    Q. ----to try terrorists, they argue, represents a retreat or an 
abandonment of traditional American principles.
    The President. I say it's the absolute right thing to do. And it 
is--to set up the option to use a military tribunal in the time of war 
makes a lot of sense. We're fighting a war, Terry, against the most evil 
kinds of people. And I need to have that extraordinary option at my 
fingertips. I ought to be able to have that option available should we 
ever bring one of these Al Qaida members in alive. It's

[[Page 1691]]

our national interests; it's our national security interests we have a 
military tribunal available. It is in the interests of the safety of 
potential jurors that we have a military tribunal.
    These are extraordinary times. And I would remind those who don't 
understand the decision I made, that Franklin Roosevelt made the same 
decision in World War II. Those were extraordinary times, as well.
    This Government will do everything we can to defend the American 
people within the confines of our Constitution. And that's exactly how 
we're proceeding. And so, to the critics, I say, I made the absolute 
right decision.
    Press Assistant Reed Dickens. Thank you all.

[At this point, the President turned toward Secretary of Defense Donald 
Rumsfeld.]

    The President.  Do you know where Al Qaida is? [Laughter]

Note: The President spoke at 4:12 p.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of 
Israel; Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority; and Usama 
bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist organization.