REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH
AND DEFENSE SECRETARY DONALD H. RUMSFELD

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary

August 21, 2002

Excerpts

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Q Sir, after you've studied today the military capabilities of the United States and looking ahead to future threats, one thing that has to factor in is the growing number of U.S. allies, Russia, Germany, Bahrain, now Canada, who say that if you go to war with Saddam, you're going to go alone.

Does the American military have the capability to prosecute this war alone?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, if you're asking -- are you asking about Iraq? The subject didn't come up in this meeting.

But, having said that, we take all threats seriously and we will continue to consult with our friends and allies.

I know there is this kind of intense speculation that seems to be going on, a kind of a -- I don't know how you would describe it. It's kind of a churning --

SECRETARY RUMSFELD: Frenzy.

THE PRESIDENT: Frenzy is how the Secretary would describe it. But the subject didn't come up.

We will obviously continue to consult with our friends and allies. Your question makes certain assumptions that may or may not be true. But we will continue to talk with our -- with the people concerned about peace and how to secure the peace, and those are needed consultations.

Not only will we consult with friends and allies, we'll consult with members of Congress.

Yes, Terry.

SECRETARY RUMSFELD: Could I just add a comment there, Mr. President? I think it's worth noting on that particular subject, that the President of the United States and the Secretary of State and our country has put together a coalition that stretches across the entire globe that is addressing the problem of the global war on terrorism. It is 80 or 90 countries. There are 37 or 38 down in Tampa, Florida, with liaison officers. We have, at any given time, 18, 20, a couple dozen of countries involved in Afghanistan participating.

The coalition that is working on the global war on terrorism that the President and the Secretary have put together is broad, it's deep, it's impressive, and it is in fact what is helping the forward progress that we're achieving, the traction that we're getting with respect to dealing with the terrible, terribly difficult problem of global terrorist networks.

Q Still, many of those are now saying that they won't take the war against terror into Iraq. What do you do about that?

SECRETARY RUMSFELD: The President has not asked them to.

Q Sir, if I could follow up?

THE PRESIDENT: Please do.

Q General Franks today --

THE PRESIDENT: We're in the giving spirit here.

Q Thank you, sir.

THE PRESIDENT: General Franks today?

Q He has said that he is drawing up war plans to provide you with credible options. Now, should the American people conclude from that that you're reaching some critical point, that a decision is imminent?

THE PRESIDENT: First of all, in the midst of the frenzy -- (laughter) -- I want you to note that General Franks is not here. General Franks is doing his job. And one of the jobs that the Secretary of Defense has tasked to members of his general staff is to prepare for all contingencies, whether it be in the particular country that you seem to be riveted on, or any other country, for that matter.

We face a -- the world is not stable. The world changes. There are -- this terrorist network is global in nature and they may strike anywhere. And, therefore, we've got to be prepared to use our military and all the other assets at our disposal in a way to keep the peace. So General Franks is doing what the Secretary has asked.

Would you like to comment on that?

SECRETARY RUMSFELD: I would. As the President indicated, one of the things we discussed here today was the contingency planning guidance that he signed. I then meet with all of the combatant commanders for every area of responsibility across the globe. I do it on a regular basis. We go over all the conceivable contingencies that could occur.

So General Franks, as well as every other combatant commander -- I met, I think, within the last 30 days with at least three of them on various types of contingency plans in totally different parts of the world. That's my job. That's their job, is to see that we have the ability to protect the American people and deal effectively on behalf of our friends and our allies and our deployed forces.

So it is their task to work with me and ultimately with the President as the chain of command goes from the Commander-in-Chief, the President of the United States, to me, to the combatant commanders. And they're doing exactly what I've asked them to do and what the President has asked me to do.

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Q Mr. President, Abu Nidal. Can we have your reaction to reports of his death?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, no terrorist can hide forever. Secondly, it's -- I found it interesting that they said he committed suicide with four bullet -- four bullet wounds to the head. And so I'm not exactly sure how he died. We just have to wait and make sure in fact he did die.

But the point is, is that when the world puts their mind to fighting terror, we can rout out these terrorists. And some of them will be able to hide longer than others and some of them will be able to survive longer than others. But this country will continue to lead the coalition that the Secretary of Defense talked about, to hunt them down one by one. And that's a positive development.

Adam. Don't worry about the suit here on the Ranch.

Q Sorry, I saw the Secretary --

SECRETARY RUMSFELD: You look good.

Q I borrowed your clothes. (Laughter.)

Considering how much discussion has been going on recently about Saddam, do you feel a need to get out there and make a case for toppling him? And, if so, do you feel a need to do it before Election Day?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, Adam, what I need to do is to continue to, as we call it, consult with people who share our interests to make the world a safer place, and I will do so. The American people know my position, and that is, is that regime change is in the interests of the world. How we achieve that is a matter of consultation and deliberative -- deliberation, which I do, I'm a deliberate person.

I say it in my speeches, which you fortunately don't have to cover, that I'm a patient man. And when I say I'm a patient man, I mean I'm a patient man, and that we will look at all options and we will consider all technologies available to us and diplomacy and intelligence.

But one thing is for certain, is that this administration agrees that Saddam Hussein is a threat and he will be -- that's a part of our thinking. And that hasn't changed.

Nothing he has done has convinced me -- I'm confident the Secretary of Defense -- that he is the kind of fellow that is willing to forgo weapons of mass destruction, is willing to be a peaceful neighbor, that is -- will honor the people -- the Iraqi people of all stripes, will -- values human life. He hasn't convinced me, nor has he convinced my administration.

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