[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 27 (Monday, July 7, 2003)]
[Pages 874-876]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Interview With CNN International

July 3, 2003

    Tomi Makagabo. Mr. President, thank you very much for speaking with 
us, and welcome to South Africa.
    The President. Thanks. Thanks for having me.

Liberia

    Ms. Makagabo. If we could begin with the issue of Liberia, President 
Charles Taylor in particular. You said he needs to step down; he needs 
to leave the country. The U.S., along with other west African countries, 
are busy negotiating the whole issue. What are the discussions and 
options that are being put on the table?
    The President. Well, I'm glad you brought up the departure of 
Charles Taylor. In our judgment, he needs to go in order to create the 
conditions necessary for a peaceful solution to this difficult situation 
occurs.
    You know, look, we're talking to ECOWAS countries right now to 
determine whether or not the--what the nature of a peacekeeping force 
might look like. I'm the kind of person that likes to know all the facts 
before I make a decision. We've got special ties to Liberia. There are 
historical ties to the United States. That's why we are involved in this 
issue, and I am going to look at all the options to determine how best 
to bring peace and stability.

[[Page 875]]

    One thing has to happen. That's Mr. Taylor needs to leave, and I've 
been outspoken on that. Mr. Colin Powell has been outspoken on that. And 
I think most of the people involved with this issue understand that 
that's important, that he do leave.
    Ms. Makagabo. You said that he needs to leave. Does that mean that 
if those negotiations fail and President Charles Taylor refuses to go, 
that you will send troops to remove him from office and----
    The President. Well, first of all, I refuse to accept the negative. 
I understand it's your job to try to put that forth. I believe he'll 
listen. And until he doesn't listen, then we can come back and talk 
about the issue. In other words, I hope he does listen, and I'm 
convinced he will listen.
    Ms. Makagabo. And should he not?
    The President. No, you--I'm convinced he will listen and make the 
decision--the right decision, if he cares about his country.

President's Upcoming Visit to Africa

    Ms. Makagabo. Let's talk about, then, your trip to Africa. It hasn't 
necessarily--it has only recently become more apparent, this particular 
administration's interest in African affairs and involvement in what's 
going on in the country.
    The President. Yes, can I stop you there? That's not true. As a 
matter of fact, from the very beginning of my administration, I've been 
very much involved with African affairs. I've met over 22 African 
leaders. And I just want to make--correct the record before----
    Ms. Makagabo. Absolutely.
    The President. ----disabuse you of that misinformation, because 
Africa has been a very important part of my administration's foreign 
policy.
    Ms. Makagabo. However, many people will say that has only become 
more apparent to them, perhaps not necessarily to the administration, 
but more apparent, outwardly, that this administration is becoming 
involved in African affairs. My question to you, then, is if that is the 
case and looking at the history which you've pointed out, why now? Why 
this visit now?
    The President. Why am I going now? I thought it was important to go 
before my first term was over to show the importance of Africa to my 
administration's foreign policy. And besides going on a trip--I mean, 
trips are fine, but what's more important is policy.
    And I proposed a Millennium Challenge Account, which will, in my 
judgment, affect the lives of African citizens in an incredibly positive 
way, which says that in return for aid--and we're increasing the amount 
of aid available--governments actually have to make decisions which will 
be positive on behalf of their people, such as educating their people or 
providing health care for their people, not to steal the money. In other 
words, don't focus on elite but focus on the people themselves, create 
the conditions necessary for market growth.
    I promoted AGOA. Now, I didn't invent AGOA; that happened in my 
predecessor's time. But I promoted the extension of AGOA, which was the 
trade agreements between the African Continent and the United States, 
which has been incredibly beneficial for a lot of countries and a lot of 
people on the African Continent.
    I proposed an AIDS initiative because I believe it's very important 
for the United States to not only show its muscle to the world but also 
its heart. And the AIDS initiative, in our judgment, when implemented, 
will help affect the lives of thousands of people who are suffering from 
an incredibly--a pandemic that is actually destroying life. And it is--
it's sad for us.
    And so my administration is not only, you know, good on trips and 
meetings but more important, fundamental policy. And I think that's 
important.

Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction

    Ms. Makagabo. One policy that your administration hasn't necessarily 
agreed on with many African countries is the question of Iraq and the 
war in Iraq. Can you give us a sense of how close the administration 
feels you are to finding those weapons of mass destruction and banned 
weapons?
    The President. Oh, sure. Yes, there's no doubt in my mind he had a 
weapons program. He was--he used them. Remember, he was the guy that 
gassed his own people. Those were weapons of mass destruction he used on 
his own people. No doubt. We found

[[Page 876]]

a biological lab, the very same lab that had been banned by the United 
Nations. It will be a matter of time.
    Let me talk about Iraq, and I appreciate you bringing it up. If I 
think something that needs to be done to enhance the security of the 
American people, I'll do it. You see, that's my most important job, is 
to protect the security of America.
    Secondly, I believe in freedom for people, and I suffer when I hear 
the stories of what took place inside of Iraq, the mass graves that have 
been discovered, the torture chambers, the jails for children. And the 
Iraqi people are going to benefit mightily from the actions of the 
United States and a lot of other nations, because they'll be free. And 
we've been there for about 90 days. And the world is such that they 
expect democracy to have occurred yesterday. It's going to take a while 
for a free, democratic Iraq to evolve. But it's going to happen. And 
history will show you what a--it will show you or the skeptics that we 
are actually correct in our assessment of Mr. Saddam Hussein.
    Ms. Makagabo. All right, Mr. President. I think that's where I'm 
going to have to leave it.
    The President. Thank you very much for coming. Hope to see you in 
South Africa.

Note: The interview was taped at 1:33 p.m. in the Map Room at the White 
House for later broadcast. In his remarks, the President referred to 
former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. A tape was not available for 
verification of the content of this interview.