[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 8 (Monday, February 24, 2003)]
[Pages 216-217]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to Discussions With Secretary General Lord Robertson of 
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

February 19, 2003

    President Bush. Today we'll have a statement. I'm going to make a 
statement. George will make a statement. No questions.
    George, welcome. I'm honored to have you here. You represent our 
Nation's most important Alliance, NATO. Today, this Alliance is 
providing equipment to Turkey to help protect our Turkish ally from a 
potential attack from Iraq.
    I want to thank you for your leadership. You've done a fantastic job 
of keeping this Alliance together, moving it forward by not only 
addressing the current threats that we face but preparing NATO to 
address threats into the future. And I congratulate on a great 
leadership and welcome you back to the Oval Office.
    Lord Robertson. Thanks, Mr. President. On the 12th of September, 
NATO passed a declaration of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. We came 
to the aid of an Ally, the United States, under threat, under attack.
    And today we've sent AWACS aircraft and Patriot missiles and chem, 
bio, and defensive

[[Page 217]]

equipment to Turkey, another Ally, in trouble, under threat, asking for 
help. That's what the Alliance of free nations is all about.
    Sometimes we--you know, we can take a bit of time to do it. It 
reminded me of Winston Churchill, whose bust is over there, who once 
famously said of the United States of America, ``The United States can 
always be counted on to do the right thing, after it's exhausted every 
other alternative.'' [Laughter]
    Well, you can say exactly the same thing about NATO, but when we get 
there, we're strong, and we stand for the values that unite a great 
Alliance.
    President Bush. Well, thank you, sir.
    Lord Robertson. You're welcome.
    President Bush. I appreciate you. Thanks. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 5:29 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of these 
remarks.