[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 25 (Monday, June 21, 2004)]
[Pages 1091-1092]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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

June 17, 2004

    The President. I've just met with my Cabinet. We discussed primarily 
the economy, and I was pleased with the report I got. The U.S. economy 
is strong, and it's getting stronger. People are going back to work. 
There's a sense of optimism around this table, because these people have 
been out in the field and talking to people, talking to small-business 
owners and entrepreneurs. I'm pleased with the progress we're making.
    There's more to do to make sure this growth is sustained throughout 
the decade. Primarily it requires a proper understanding of the role of 
Government to the economy. The role of Government is not to try to 
manage the economy; the role of Government is to create an environment 
in which the capital flows and entrepreneurs feel emboldened to take 
risk and to make sure workers are trained for the jobs of the 21st 
century. I will continue to talk to the American people about our 
progrowth strategy that I'm confident will work.
    The other thing we talked about was our firm resolve to spread 
freedom and, therefore, peace around the world. We fully understand 
terrorists will try to shake our will, to try to shake our confidence, 
to try to get us to withdraw from commitments we have made in places 
like Afghanistan and Iraq, and they won't succeed. Iraq will be free, 
and a free Iraq is in our Nation's interest. A free Iraq will make the 
world more peaceful. A free Iraq will be an ally of those nations who 
honor human rights and human dignity and the aspirations of men and 
women everywhere. A free Iraq will make America more secure.
    And we're making progress toward that goal. We've been there--it's 
been 14 months since the fall of Baghdad, and the work has been hard and 
difficult. Yet our military on the ground has done an excellent job of 
making sure the conditions are such that an Iraqi government can emerge 
and lead their nation to the better days.
    I'll be glad to answer a couple of questions. Deb [Deb Riechmann, 
Associated Press], why don't you lead it off?

Al Qaida-Saddam Hussein Relationship

    Q. Mr. President, why does the administration continue to insist 
that Saddam had a relationship with Al Qaida, when even you have denied 
any connection between Saddam and September 11th? And now the September 
11th Commission says that there was no collaborative relationship at 
all.
    The President. The reason I keep insisting that there was a 
relationship between Iraq and Saddam and Al Qaida, because there was a 
relationship between Iraq and Al Qaida. This administration never said 
that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated between Saddam and Al Qaida. We 
did say there were numerous contacts between Saddam Hussein and Al 
Qaida. For example, Iraqi intelligence officers met with bin Laden, the 
head of Al Qaida, in the Sudan. There's numerous contacts between the 
two.
    I always said that Saddam Hussein was a threat. He was a threat 
because he had used weapons of mass destruction against his own people. 
He was a threat because he was a sworn enemy to the United States of 
America, just like Al Qaida. He was a threat because he had terrorist 
connections, not only Al Qaida connections but other connections to 
terrorist organizations. Abu Nidal was one. He was a threat because he 
provided safe haven for a terrorist like Zarqawi, who is still killing 
innocent inside of Iraq.
    No, he was a threat, and the world is better off, and America is 
more secure without Saddam Hussein in power.
    Let's see--Morgan [David Morgan, Reuters].

Defense Secretary Rumsfeld

    Q. Mr. President, given your administration's assertions that it 
works closely with the

[[Page 1092]]

International Red Cross, are you disappointed that Secretary Rumsfeld 
instructed military officials in Iraq to hold a member of Ansar Al Islam 
without telling Red Cross officials?
    The President. The Secretary and I discussed that for the first time 
this morning, and he's going to hold a press conference today to discuss 
that with you. I'm never disappointed in my Secretary of Defense. He's 
doing a fabulous job, and America is lucky to have him in the position 
he's in. But the Secretary will hold a press conference today, and you 
might want to ask him that question at his press conference.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 10:57 a.m. in the Cabinet Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to former President Saddam Hussein of 
Iraq; Palestinian terrorist Abu Nidal, who was found dead in Baghdad, 
Iraq, on August 19, 2002; and senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al 
Zarqawi. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of these remarks.