[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 15 (Monday, April 14, 2003)]
[Pages 427-429]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Visit With Troops Wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom 
and an Exchange With Reporters in Bethesda, Maryland

April 11, 2003

    The President. Laura and I just had an extraordinary experience here 
at Bethesda and at--initially at Walter Reed, to thank our troops who've 
been overseas in Iraq for their dedication and courage and their service 
to the country. Because of troops like them, because of coalition 
troops, we've had an historic week.
    I don't think I'll ever forget--I'm sure a lot of other people will 
never forget--the statue of Saddam Hussein falling in Baghdad, and then 
seeing the jubilation on the faces of ordinary Iraqis as they realized 
that the grip of fear that had them by the throat had been released--the 
first signs of freedom.
    I came today to thank the troops and their families and their loved 
ones for their sacrifice. I also want to thank the staffs of these 
hospitals, the leadership, the doctors and the nurses, the people who 
care for those who have been hurt, for their extraordinary service to 
their fellow Americans.
    Ours is an amazing country where a young soldier can be wounded on 
the battlefield and 4 days later be receiving the best health care 
possible. This country is dedicated to our military. We try to provide 
the very best we can. And here at Bethesda, at Walter Reed, our troops 
get the very best there is.
    So Laura and I were here not only to thank our soldiers, but also to 
thank those in the medical profession who dedicate their lives to 
healing the hurt and to helping the families. And that's exactly what's 
happening for our soldiers here in these two fine facilities.
    I'll be glad to answer a couple of questions. Yes.

POWs and MIAs/Saddam Hussein

    Q. Mr. President, what progress are we making in determining the 
whereabouts and well-being of American POWs and MIAs in Iraq? And the 
same goes for Saddam Hussein. And which do you see as the greater 
priority right now?
    The President. The priority of this campaign is to rid the Iraqi 
people of any vestiges of Saddam Hussein and his regime so we can not 
only free the people but clear that country of weapons of mass 
destruction. I don't know the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein. I don't 
know if he's dead or alive. I do know he's no longer in power.
    In terms of POWs, we will use every resource we have to find any 
POWs that are alive. And we pray that they are alive, because if they 
are, we'll find them.
    Steve [Steve Holland, Reuters].

Victory Declaration/Media Coverage

    Q. Why shouldn't we say that the war is over except for pockets of 
resistance, sir? And do you feel any certain sense of vindication after 
all those people questioned the war plan?
    The President. I don't take anything personally. I committed our 
troops because I believe that Saddam Hussein and his regime posed a 
threat to the American people, posed a threat to anybody who loves 
freedom. We will achieve that objective. And at the same time, we will 
free the Iraqi people. And that's an important objective as well. We 
believe in freedom. We believe freedom is universal. We believe freedom 
is a gift from the Almighty God for every person, regardless of their 
race or their religion.
    This war will end when our commanders in the field tell me that the 
objective has been achieved. And Tommy Franks put together a great 
strategy. Wonderful thing about free speech and a lot of TV stations is 
you get a lot of opinions. Some of them were right, and some of them 
were really wrong. But that's okay. That's what we--that's what we 
believe. We believe in free speech, believe people ought to be able to 
express their opinion.

[[Page 428]]

    Q. Sir, can you tell us, though, what you think specifically needs 
to happen for you to feel comfortable with the recommendation from 
General Franks that the war is over and victory has been achieved? Does 
Tikrit need to fall, the weapons of mass destruction----
    The President. Hold on, I can't hear you. There's something beeping 
here. We've got a major beeper violation right here at Bethesda. 
[Laughter] Say it again, I'm----
    Q. What are some of the specific things that you want to see? The 
weapons of mass destruction found and secured? Tikrit falling? Saddam 
found?
    The President. The specific thing I want to hear is that our 
commanders say we've achieved the clear objective I set out. And that's 
when we will say this is over. This is a campaign that has been run on 
the frontlines by General Tommy Franks. And that's the way it's going to 
continue to be, that Tommy gets the--Tommy tells us what is necessary to 
achieve the objective. We gave Tommy the tools necessary to win. We 
agreed with his strategy, and he's running this war. And when Tommy says 
we've achieved our objective, that's when we've achieved our objective. 
I'm here in Washington, DC. He's there in Qatar, and he's got commanders 
in Baghdad. He's better to judge whether we've achieved the objective 
than I have.
    Go ahead.
    Q. Do you need to see the weapons of mass destruction found and 
secured?
    The President. The war will end when Tommy Franks says we've 
achieved our objective.

Syria

    Q. [Inaudible]--for Syria's failure to heed U.S. warnings?
    The President. Syria just needs to know we expect full cooperation, 
and that we strongly urge them not to allow for Ba'ath Party members or 
Saddam's families or generals on the run to seek safe haven and find 
safe haven there. We expect them to do everything they can to prevent 
people who should be held to account from escaping in their country. And 
if they are in their country, we expect the Syrian authorities to turn 
them over to the proper folks.

President's Agenda

    Q. As the war does come to an end, what domestic or foreign 
priorities are you going to turn your focus to quickly?
    The President. That's a very speculative question about foreign 
priority. My priority right now is to win the war on terror. And that 
means we've got ongoing operations in Afghanistan. The Iraqi theater was 
a part of the war on terror, and we continue to fight the war on terror. 
So that's a major priority.
    Beyond that, obviously, is the promotion of the health and well-
being of citizens around the world. I'm very serious about the AIDS 
initiative for Africa. But we will continue to deal with it, and we will 
continue to deal with issues like proliferation.
    At home, obviously I'm spending a lot of time on economic growth and 
working with Members of the United States Congress to encourage them to 
pass a stimulus package that will affect the economy so people can find 
work. I want to make sure Medicare gets done--that is, the reform of 
Medicare--so that seniors are able to receive the health care that 
they've been promised. I mean, there's a lot on my agenda.

Visits With Wounded Troops

    Q. Were there any conversations, either here or at Walter Reed, that 
stood out to you? And what was their effect on you and Mrs. Bush?
    The President. Conversations?
    Q. Here or at Walter Reed that stood out.
    The President. Well, I think the thing that stood out the most to me 
was seeing two wounded soldiers swear in as citizens of the United 
States, one man from Mexico, one man from the Philippines--people who 
had gone overseas, people who had risked their lives for peace and 
security and freedom--they wore the uniform of the United States 
military. And Laura and I got to see them sworn in as citizens. It was a 
very profound moment. We were both honored to witness this.
    You know, we've got an amazing country, where--it's so powerful, 
values we believe that people would be willing to risk their own life 
and become a citizen after being wounded. It's an amazing moment. I'm 
really proud of them.
    Yes, ma'am.

[[Page 429]]

Morale of the Troops

    Q. How was the morale of the marines and sailors?
    The President. It's good. The Marines are a tough group--a tough 
group--as you know. And a lot of the troops wanted to get healed quickly 
so they could go back with their units. It's an amazing thing when you 
see a person wounded, sitting there in a wheelchair or bound up in 
bandages or these different looking metal things sticking out of them to 
hold them together--a young man look you in the eye and say, ``I can't 
wait to get back to my unit. I hope I'm healed fast enough to get back 
to Iraq.''
    It's a brave lot here in Bethesda, people who are willing to 
sacrifice for something greater than themselves. And I feel lucky as an 
American to be a part of a country where citizens are willing to do 
that.
    I reminded them and their families that the war in Iraq is--it's 
really about peace, trying to make the world more peaceful. This victory 
in Iraq, when it happens, will make the world more peaceful. I reminded 
them that their sacrifices really had to do with the security of our 
country, that Saddam Hussein and his terrorist allies are threats to 
America, threats to our people because of what we believe in.
    I also reminded them that their courageous sacrifice will help young 
Iraqis grow up in a free society, that out of the chaos that takes place 
there now and after the fear of a Saddam Hussein and his thugs, that the 
Iraqi people will run their own country, make their own decisions, 
choose their own leaders, and will become a country at peace with others 
in the neighborhood.
    And so their sacrifices, as I told them, were worthwhile. And it's 
an honor to have spoken to them and to have been with them and their 
families today.
    Thank you all very much.

Note: The President spoke at 3:40 p.m. in the lobby at the National 
Naval Medical Center. In his remarks, he referred to former President 
Saddam Hussein of Iraq; and Gen. Tommy R. Franks, USA, combatant 
commander, U.S. Central Command. The Office of the Press Secretary also 
released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.