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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 27, 2001
Press Briefing
The James S. Brady Briefing Room
12:02 P.M. EST
MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. The President began his day early this
morning with a phone call to Jordanian King Abdullah. They reviewed the progress
in the international struggle against terrorism and the situation in
Afghanistan. The two leaders also discussed U.S. efforts to secure a cease-fire
between Israel and the Palestinians, and to implement the Mitchell Plan.
The King expressed his support for the President's efforts to fight terror and
to revive negotiations between Arabs and Israelis. The President thanked the
King of Jordan for his strong support in the war against terror, and also for
Jordan's assistance in trying to broker a return to the negotiating table.
Following the call, the President had his usual round of briefings this morning;
intelligence briefing, FBI briefing. He convened a meeting of the Homeland
Security Council. Then, he met with Senator Jack Danforth, who is the United
States Special Envoy to the Sudan to discuss efforts to broker some type of
improvement in the deplorable human rights situation in the Sudan.
The President later this afternoon will conduct a ceremony to honor the U.S.
Nobel Laureates, and to hail them for the excellence that they have achieved.
The President will also this afternoon have a meeting with the presidents of the
international, the U.S., and the Salt Lake City Olympic committees to discuss
the upcoming Olympics, particularly with an eye toward some of the security
aspects of the Olympics, given the designation of the Olympics as a security
site.
Following that, the President will have a meeting with President Alli Abdullah
Saleh of Yemen to discuss U.S.-Yemenese bilateral relations. And let me also
give you, before I take questions, an update on some of the humanitarian
information, some of the latest facts and statistics on the humanitarian
situation in Afghanistan.
As of November 26th, the Department of Defense has air dropped 1,883,100
humanitarian daily rations into Afghanistan. Since mid-October, the United
Nations World Food Program, through U.S. assistance, has delivered enough food
into Afghanistan to feed 6 million hungry Afghans for one month.
On November 23rd for the first time, food aid was airlifted into Afghanistan
from Tajikistan. Seventeen metric tons of wheat flour, which is enough for
almost 275,000 people, was delivered to provide food aid to remote locations in
Northeastern Afghanistan.
And, finally, a ship carrying 10,000 metric tons of food aid for Afghans left
Port Lake Charles, Louisiana on November 20th. And that's all courtesy of the
Coalition Information Center.
Q In the phone call with Prince Abdullah, were other things discussed, like the
freezing of finances, banking business, a return of Saudis who had volunteered
on the Taliban side?
MR. FLEISCHER: This is the complete report I have on the phone call. So if there
is any other information, this is all I have to report.
Q There were not other irritants that --
MR. FLEISCHER: I just received a briefing on the phone call. I wasn't with the
President when he made it, so I can only provide to you the information that
I've been provided about the phone call.
Q And what role is King Abdullah playing in the
current --
MR. FLEISCHER: As you know, the President met with King Abdullah in the Oval
Office a little while ago, some weeks ago. And Jordan has been very helpful as
an ally of the United States in the war on terror, and that includes some of the
first and most powerful comments of an Arab nation in support of the United
States, in support of the war objectives. Jordan has been a stalwart friend and
ally of the United States.
Q In General Zinni's mission, does King Abdullah have a specific role? Did this
phone call represent anything specifically that the United States is asking
Jordan to do towards the Middle East peace process?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think as you've seen throughout the year, the President
has had an ongoing series of phone calls with leaders in the region. This is
part of it. There is a delegation of representatives of the President in the
Middle East right now, trying to bring the parties together. And so you're
seeing ongoing activity to help the parties to come together to engage in the
Mitchell Plan.
Q One more on that. Does that delegation represent a tacit admission of a
mistake, that for too long, the President and the administration did not send
something as high profile and energetic as this delegation to try to broker a
peace there?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I don't believe that's the case; not even close. I think what
you've seen is a strong message from President Bush from the beginning of this
administration that the United States is ready, willing and able to play a
helpful role in bringing the parties together in the Middle East, but that the
fundamental fact remains that the parties themselves have to first demonstrate a
willingness to want to come together in order for any result to be achieved.
Whether that result is at the highest level or that result is at normal levels
of ongoing diplomatic conversation, the two parties have to be willing to do
that.
Clearly, if the two parties aren't willing to do that, it doesn't matter who is
doing the talking to them; if they don't want to get together, they won't. The
President is going to continue to make every effort to bring them together.
Q Ari, there are reports out of Kabul that women activists have been prohibited
from marching in the streets by the Northern Alliance. Is the CIC aware of that?
And given the administration's keen focus on women's rights there, is the United
States going to take a stand on that?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, the message the administration is carrying to the
talks in Germany and in all the conversations the United States has with the
parties in Afghanistan is the importance of having a multiethnic government that
also includes a role for women in the future government of Afghanistan.
The United States is not under any illusions that it will be done easily, right
away. We're talking about different regions of the world, where people have
their own cultures and histories. And the future shape of Afghanistan will
fundamentally be determined by the people of Afghanistan. The United States will
continue to play a helpful and constructive role in it. We cannot dictate every
day's events to everybody all throughout Afghanistan.
But the President will speak out clearly, as he did at Fort Campbell last week,
about the need for people in Afghanistan to follow human rights procedures, and
treat people well, including the women of Afghanistan.
Q Are you saying that you are, or are not aware of this prohibition?
MR. FLEISCHER: On this specifically, I have not heard that one issue. I'm aware
of other issues that raise questions. It's not always easy. But I have not
particularly heard on that one.
Q But at the moment, the administration is comfortable that the Northern
Alliance may not share its goal for a place for women in a post-Taliban world?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, first of all, you have to remember when you're talking
about the Northern Alliance, you're talking about a very wide collection of
different people in different regions, who are constantly doing different
things. So it's not fair to say that there's one policy that the Northern
Alliance puts in place for every person in Afghanistan. There is really separate
entities that constitute the Northern Alliance.
The United States message will continue to be consistent with all those entities
about the need to treat women with respect. But certainly, I think it's fair to
say, when you look at events on the ground in Afghanistan, the liberation of
Afghanistan by the Northern Alliance and by the Pashtuns in the south, of what
was previously held Taliban territory, has been nothing but a liberating
experience for women.
Q It's fair to say that women in Afghanistan are not free yet.
MR. FLEISCHER: I think it's fair to say that Afghanistan is still a nation at
war that has a lot to work out.
Q Well, have we given them any guidelines, or any advisors on how to proceed
with a democratic government?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's underway in Germany right now.
Q With American advisors?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes, as you know, there is an American envoy to --
Q But, I mean, don't we -- I think we have the right to call some shots, don't
you, in this, in terms of guidance?
MR. FLEISCHER: Always interested in your opinion, Helen, about where the United
States can and cannot call shots.
Q Well, I'm interested in your opinion, too.
MR. FLEISCHER: Thank you. The United States will continue to use its good
influence in Afghanistan, as it has around the world, and I think David points
up one issue I have not heard about, but if that's true, that suggests that it's
always a difficult challenge to achieve every foreign policy objective.
Having said that, thanks to the United States, the life of women in Afghanistan
has improved immeasurably. The condition of women in Afghanistan today, compared
to what it was three, even four weeks ago before the fall of the Taliban, has
led to a dramatic improvement in the quality of lives of women in Afghanistan.
Children are going to school again. Young girls know that they can get educated
again. The situation has changed immensely for the better.
Will it change to America's standards? No. We're America. Not every nation needs
to be like us, or is like us. But it is dramatic improvement, dramatic change.
We can't get everything that we like as Americans, neither should we seek it
everywhere; but it is dramatic improvement and dramatic change.
Q Ari, Iraq has rejected the President's call for opening up to arms
inspections. Where do you go from here? Do you see a need to step up the
pressure? What's the next step?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, nothing changes what the President said yesterday. Iraq has
made that position clear on a number of times. So, too, has President Bush's
statement to other nations of the world, talked about the need for Iraq to honor
its agreements that they, themselves, made.
The President remains focused on phase one of this campaign against terrorism,
and phase one is still well underway and is not yet complete. Phase one involves
the destruction of al Qaeda, the bringing of Osama bin Laden and his top
lieutenants to justice, and that's where the President's focus still remains.
Q So for the time being, nothing really changes with regard to Iraq and arms
inspections?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, clearly, if Iraq is not willing to let arms inspectors into
the country, they continue to violate an agreement that they promised to keep.
Q Ari, there are intensified agreements to get a U.N. agreement on new smart
sanctions for Iraq. Could you explain what those would -- not what they would be
in specifics, but what the goal would be, or the distinction between smart
sanctions and the sanctions the President then as a candidate referred to as
porous as Swiss cheese.
MR. FLEISCHER: The P5 is meeting in the United Nations today, the permanent five
members of the National Security Council, to discuss the sanctions policy that
has been in place since the Persian Gulf War against Iraq. And the President,
during the campaign, made the point that the sanctions policy had too many
loopholes in it, that -- I think he called it Swiss cheese at the time -- there
were so many holes in it that -- sanctions policy covered so much, so many
items, that too many nations wanted to violate the sanctions policy and provide
material to Iraq in violation of the sanction that was so broadly written that
it invited loopholes.
So the President believed that it would be more effective to more tightly and
narrowly define sanctions to those products that really needed to be denied to
Iraq to stop Iraq from developing weapons, from harming its neighbors, from
carrying on terrorism, and from being a state sponsor of terrorism and a
military threat to its neighbors the way Iraq proved itself to be when they
invaded Kuwait.
So the President believes, and so, too, does the United Kingdom, that we need to
have a smarter sanctions policy that more tightly and narrowly defines the
sanctions, the items that would be sanctionable, and then to make certain that
those sanctions are enforced.
Q If I may follow up. The President went out of his way in Crawford to talk
about the progress he and President Putin had made on proliferation issues. Iraq
generally falls under that. Can you describe in any specificity how the two
leaders dealt with this issue? Because Russia has been resistant up until now to
joining in this smart sanctions regime.
MR. FLEISCHER: Right, and I think you need to allow the talks in New York to
continue. There has been some movement by Russia on this matter, and ultimately,
what its final outcome is may take months to finally be determined. The
sanctions policy comes up for review every four to six months or so. I think
it's six months, specifically, but there's a preliminary period where the P5 and
others at the United Nations gather to talk about it before the actual vote
takes place on extending the sanctions.
And so we'll see exactly what action is taken at the United Nations. But the
President is patient; the President recognizes that it's important to continue
to consult with Russia and with others on changing what has been a sanctions
policy that the President does not believe was successful into one that is more
tightly defined, that will be more enforceable, and therefore, have more impact
on Iraq.
Q Ari, prior to September 11th, while there was a lot of discussion at the U.N.
as far as sanctions, there wasn't much pressure to get inspectors into Iraq in a
new way. I've gone back and can't find the President talking about it very
often. Is the essence of what he was saying yesterday that in the post-September
11th environment, the status quo of Iraq continuing to keep inspectors out and
presumably continuing some development of weapons of mass destruction is not a
status quo you can live with, that something has to change with that?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think the President's words spoke for themselves yesterday.
Nothing I would add to it. I think the President made it clear yesterday.
Q Well, would you view that there was a difference between how the
administration viewed this prior to September 11th and then the post-September
11th?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think as I indicated to Randy, the President is focused on
phase one of his campaign against terrorism, and anything that may come
subsequent to that would be something the President would discuss at the
appropriate time, if and whenever that would come to be.
Q If Iraq continues to refuse, really, any discussion of even allowing the
weapons inspectors back in, what are your options? What are the options of the
U.N., what are the options of the U.S., to try to increase the pressure on them?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President was asked that question yesterday. I was asked that
question for about 15 minutes yesterday. The answer remains the same. The
President left that for Saddam Hussein to figure out.
Q Would he be figuring out something that would be unilateral, from the United
States, or multilateral from the United Nations?
MR. FLEISCHER: We can dive deeply back into this topic if you like, but the
answers will remain the same.
Q What's the administration's position on what the obligation of the
international community is, to get weapons inspectors back into Iraq? Is that a
United States obligation, or is that something that the international community
is obliged to make happen?
MR. FLEISCHER: There was an agreement that Iraq made, as a term for ending the
war. It's an agreement the President thinks Iraq needs to honor.
Q You said today that it was two separate events, in terms of the U.S. Cole and
September 11th. But if bin Laden may be behind both of those events, how are
they not connected?
MR. FLEISCHER: Because you used the magic word, may. And you said, he may be
behind both events. While Osama bin Laden has been indicted in the destruction
of the embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, he is suspected to be involved with the
Cole. We do not know that for certain. And so they may be two separate events.
But you were also asking if we were making a direct tie between events with the
Cole and September 11th. And what I indicated earlier this morning is that since
September 11th, there has been a helpful new energy from Yemen, in terms of
cooperating with the United States in the war on terrorism.
Q Could you explain the administration's opposition to add on to the
anti-terrorism bill, especially since a lot of the money is going to things --
would go to things that you support, including improvements of FBI computers,
beefing up border security, Nunn-Lugar? Why wait to spend the money if we can
get these -- those things going now?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the Congress has entered into an agreement with the
President, many weeks after September 11th, when people already understood the
need to beef up on the domestic front, the need to provide more resources. And
an agreement is an agreement is an agreement. Congress knew at the time it made
the agreement that we needed to spend more money on bio-terrorism, on domestic
terrorism. And Congress said that amount should be $686 billion, and the
President accepted that. They agreed to have a $40 billion supplemental. So
Congress made an agreement, and the President thinks it's important that when an
agreement is made, the agreement should be kept.
If not, what good is whatever Congress would agree to this week, if they said,
well, that was this week; we'll have another one for you next week. Agreements
should be honored, the President thinks, and the President believes, also, that
the amount of funding is the right amount, that it is sufficient to protect
America, given our needs at this moment.
Governor Ridge is also conducting a review of all of the budgets for next year,
and that will be part of the budget presentation the President makes.
One final point on this. There is also a question of how much can actually be
spent as Congress rushes here in its last week or two weeks, three weeks, of
being in session, that actually gets spent.
There often is a tendency for money to be approved at the last minute, that
never gets spent, because they can't spend it fast enough because Congress
rushes to spend too much money. So those three factors combine to make the
President believe that we have sufficient money now to make sure that America is
protected on the domestic front. The agreement should be honored, but Congress
can't spend it any way, even if they were authorized to spend it because it
can't be spent fast enough, and that agreement should be kept.
Q Ari, to follow up on King Abdullah; sorry. How active is the diplomacy
concerning the King's plan that all of the Arab countries and Palestine
guarantee security for Israel? And also since General Zinni is in the region and
he's a tough guy, does he plan to, in effect, butt heads and be very tough with
both Sharon and Arafat?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think diplomats, even tough guys, understand the nature
of their job, and that is to work to get agreements. The measure of what will
take place will depend on the willingness of the parties to begin seriously
discussions of the Mitchell recommendations.
The Mitchell recommendations was a result of an effort begun under the previous
administration and that called on the parties -- and the parties accepted the
call -- to begin security talks so that the violence could be reduced, that
would be followed by political talks. That's what you see is underway now. It's
an arduous, arduous process. It is very difficult in the Middle East. It always
has been. And that's the reason that the President has sent these gentlemen into
the region.
Q What about the plan -- the 22 Arab countries, the plan to guarantee Israel's
safety?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, I think this is all part of the same series of
talks.
Q Ari, is the President going to reconsider his decision to close the White
House to public tours, now that the Secret Service has allowed the general
public to attend the lighting of the National Christmas Tree next week?
MR. FLEISCHER: They're separate events, separate security situations. One
applies to the building; another applies to an area where the President does not
live and will be visiting for moments.
Q Would he be open to some form of compromise that might allow some limited
general public attendance of, or general public touring of the White House?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President, as the First Lady said this morning, wants
to open the White House, hopes it can be open, would like to do so as quickly as
is possible. But as always in a matter like this, it's also wise to listen to
the recommendations of the people who are in charge of security who have a very
keen understanding of the security issues involved. So the President would like
to see those recommendations whenever they can be made, but he also understands
that we remain a nation at war and that the Secret Service had reasons for its
recommendations.
Q But to follow on that, why was the decision made to open up the tree lighting?
Did the President intervene at all, and is he considering intervening here?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, actually, I think that you need to talk to the Secret Service
about that. That's not a White House event, so it's not under the White House's
review. But there was a different reason, as the Secret Service explained it to
me last week, dealing -- something to do with permits or something of that
nature. So I would encourage you to contact the Secret Service to determine what
their reasons were for that. But there's just a difference, as you know, in the
security of the White House versus other events that the President would travel
to, would go to, would meet with others -- general public -- when he's on the
road.
Q Ari, how would you rate the level of Saudi cooperation in response to the
President's call to freeze the assets of certain terrorists and suspected
terrorist organizations?
MR. FLEISCHER: It remains strong. The President and Secretary O'Neill are
satisfied and are pleased with Saudi cooperation on the financial front, as well
as many other fronts in the war on terrorism.
Q Then why is it necessary to send a delegation there to try to convince them to
cooperate more?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes, I saw that report and I can't confirm that there is a
delegation that's going to Saudi Arabia. From time to time, there are
conversations that take place with the United States and other nations about the
cooperation in the war on terrorism, but that report said there is a delegation
going and there's nothing like that to report. If there is some -- were to be
one that is going, I would let you know about it. So I cannot confirm that
report.
Q So you can say with a certainty that the administration is thoroughly
satisfied with the level of Saudi responsiveness to this call to freeze these
assets?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's correct, in that the Saudi Arabian government has done
everything the United States has asked it to do in the war on terrorism. And let
me give you some specifics of how cooperative and helpful Saudi Arabia has been.
Whether it comes to either economic assistance to Pakistan, which the Saudi
Arabian government has been very helpful in, humanitarian relief to the people
of Afghanistan, where Saudi Arabia has been very helpful, intelligence sharing
with the United States in the war on terrorism, Saudi Arabia has played a very
helpful role in that.
I would want to remind you that Saudi Arabia was one of only three countries
that had relations with the Taliban. Saudi Arabia quickly severed relations with
the Taliban, in the very early stages of the war. The Saudi government played a
lead role in working with the Organization of Islamic -- the OSC, the Islamic
conference, as well as with the GCC, the Gulf Cooperation Council, in bringing
support from a variety of those nations in the war on terrorism.
So Saudi Arabia has played a helpful role, and the President's appreciative.
Q How much money, and how many accounts have they frozen?
MR. FLEISCHER: You need to talk to Treasury to get any type of specific dollar
amounts. Saudi Arabia has issued blocking orders, I know, to some of the banks
that operate on the terrorism front.
Q So his report today is incorrect? Is that what you're saying?
MR. FLEISCHER: What aspect of the report?
Q All aspects. That the United States and Saudi Arabia are still butting heads
over the freezing of assets?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's incorrect.
Q So this report -- all these reports have been incorrect, that the United
States and Saudis are having a hard time coming together on certain aspects of
fighting terrorism?
MR. FLEISCHER: You know, it's a question that I get from time to time here. And
obviously you have some unnamed officials in both places who are saying things,
neither one of which is shared by the President.
Q But I'm just -- I think it should be clear that there have now been a series
of reports, over many weeks. And the White House has said, and continues to say,
that all of them are wrong.
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, it's a series of reports where, if you thought they were
right, maybe the people saying them would use their names. Obviously they don't
feel confident enough to use their names.
Q But let's be honest. There's a lot of cases where reports are perfectly
accurate with anonymous sources, so that's kind of a false argument. I mean,
either all of these reports are wrong, is what the White House is saying. There
is nothing to this idea but --
MR. FLEISCHER: I just answered the question, and said the United States
government --
Q No, but I'm asking you. This is not the first time it's come up. There have
been series of reports about difficult relationships. Are you saying that this
is wrong, and they've all been wrong?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I can walk through the list of Saudi cooperation once
again, and do so with my name attached, and on the record --
Q But that doesn't speak to the question.
MR. FLEISCHER: -- as well as on the financial front. I said the President is
satisfied, Secretary O'Neill is satisfied, and I've heard the Secretary say that
in private meetings with the President, about his satisfaction with Saudi
cooperation. So I will be more than pleased to continue to share that
information with you. I have to leave to your judgment what to do with people
who obviously provide information, but don't feel good enough about the
information that they won't attach their name to it.
Q There's no delegation?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's correct. If there is, I will let you know. But there's no
delegation traveling now, or a plan to travel. I did indicate that it's not
uncommon, though. I mean, we do have people who help other nations with
financial matters. There are diplomatic conversations that take place. So if
there were to be such a trip, I will let you know. That would not surprise me.
It's not out of the usual. But I can't say that there's a trip now.
Q Ari, there are --
MR. FLEISCHER: If that changes, I will let you know.
Q There are signs that not just --
MR. FLEISCHER: I called on Lester, so I have to do it.
Q The New York Times quotes the letter signed by 88 U.S. Senators who wrote the
President, including these two sentences: The American people would never excuse
us for not going after terrorists with all of our strength and might. If that is
what some have demanded of the Israeli government after every terrorist incident
they suffer, no matter what the provocation, they urge restraint. My question
is, does the President believe these 88 U.S. Senators are right or wrong?
MR. FLEISCHER: Lester, this is a question that's come up in the past, in a
slightly different preamble. But the President, as I indicated earlier in the
questions, about Mideast peace, the President wants to help the Israelis, the
Palestinians and others in the region, do what they pledged to do, which is
pursue the path of peace. They have promised to each other -- the Palestinians
to the Israelis, and the Israelis to the Palestinians -- that they would support
a political process, not a military process, to achieve peace in the Middle
East. That's a totally different situation from the United States, having been
the victim of a terror attack in New York from the al Qaeda organization. I'm
not aware of any such agreement between al Qaeda and America.
Q The Chicago Tribune quotes National Public Radio senior foreign editor Loren
Jenkins as ordering his reporters in or near Afghanistan to find out and report
where U.S. troops are, because "the game of reporting is to smoke them out." And
my question is, does the President believe that since we are at war, that such a
media attempt to expose locations and thus endanger the lives of United States
troops is not criminal behavior?
MR. FLEISCHER: Actually, I think that the press understands that throughout our
nation's history of war the difficult job the press has.
Q But this guy doesn't understand it, apparently. He said "smoke them out,
wherever they are." This is Special Forces and so forth.
MR. FLEISCHER: I think the press has shown an historical ability to wrestle with
these type of questions, and that is, frankly, what the press has done
throughout our nation's history. I think it becomes more challenging -- this is
the first war of the 21st century, but it's also the first media -- dealing with
the media of the 21st century, which is abilities and capabilities to cover
things live, to put themselves in situations where they haven't before. It
presents very difficult issues for a democracy and for a free press. And I am
confident a free press always figures it out.
Q Ari, Congress is back --
MR. FLEISCHER: I want to come to some people who haven't had one yet, and then
I'll come back up front.
Q Ari, is the President going to visit the troops overseas during the holidays?
MR. FLEISCHER: He has no plans to do so. If he has any plans at any later dates,
we will announce it. He has no plans to do so.
Q Ari, when Senator Danforth took the Sudan job, he said he wanted to see if
there was something that the United States could do to end the conflict that the
United States wasn't currently doing. Have Senator Danforth and President Bush
concluded that there is something that the United States can do on Sudan, and if
so, what?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President and Senator Danforth met for about half an
hour in the Oval Office to -- for the President to receive a report from Senator
Danforth, who just returned from the region. He traveled to the Sudan; he
traveled to Kenya, he met with President Moi; he traveled to Egypt and met with
President Mubarak to discuss how to bring about an improvement in life for the
people of Sudan. And I think it's fair to say that the Senator was deeply struck
by what he saw, the human suffering and the sorrow for the people of the Sudan.
He met somebody who was enslaved, someone who had been sold into slavery who was
able to escape. But it's an ongoing, heartbreaking situation in the Sudan. And
that's why the President has sent his Special Envoy there.
As a result of what he saw, he's had conversations now with President Moi, with
President Mubarak. I think you can anticipate additional conversations to try to
build a cooperative approach in the region to achieving an improvement on the
ground in the Sudan. And he will be going back to the Sudan in January. So the
President is looking forward to further reports.
This is one of the world's most difficult, difficult, enduring crises. This has
been a war that has lasted 18 years. There's been a war in the Sudan for some 30
of the last 40 years. And it's a very difficult matter, and the President is
hopeful that the Senator will be able to achieve some type of improvement there.
Very difficult.
Q Can we go to Congress now?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm going to come back up, Jim.
Paula.
Q On the economic stimulus package, Senator Daschle this morning indicated the
major roadblock appears to be the $15 billion in additional money for homeland
security. If the President wants the Senate to take action, to get this bill
into conference, why are Republicans opposed to at least considering the
homeland security provision just for the purpose of moving the process forward?
MR. FLEISCHER: Because the President believes that it's important to spend money
to promote homeland security, to protect our nation at home, including for a war
against bioterrorism. And he's already entered into an agreement with the
Congress to do just that. So the President thinks it is wrong to enter into an
agreement on how much money should be spent, and as soon as the agreement is
reached and is concluded, for then the people who want to spend more money to
say, well, we're about to bust that agreement, we want to spend more money to
say, well, we're about to bust that agreement, we want to spend more now. And
that's what this is all about. There are some people in the Congress who do not
view this as a matter of creating economic stimulus; they view it as a way to
spend more money.
The President believes that having it authorized and signed, all the additional
money that has been spent -- which is a lot of money, it's a 14-percent increase
in the spending from last year, some $96 billion more than was spent last year
-- it's now appropriate to focus on stimulating the economy so that the economy
can grow and so people can keep their jobs.
Q But does he know in order to get a bill to conference, you sometimes have to
accept some provisions along the way that you don't like. Why is the
administration opposed to working with a bill that has some acceptable
provisions in it if those can be negotiated out in the final product?
MR. FLEISCHER: Because in order to get a bill to conference, it's important for
people to keep the agreements that they made. After all, what good is the next
agreement if you don't keep the one you just made.
An agreement has been made and reached and finalized with members of Congress on
how much will be spent. And this is a sign of how Washington still is a city
that was built to spend other people's money. Even after they reached an
agreement and said, we'll spend no more now they say we're going to spend some
more. And they're willing to hold up an economic stimulus package if they don't
get more spending.
And the President thinks it would be wrong of the Senate to keep people
unemployed, to prevent the economy from coming back as strongly as it needs to
come back because there are some people who want to spend more money after they
already agreed that they've received and spent enough.
Q Transportation Secretary Mineta said this morning it may be difficult to meet
some of the deadlines -- just passed aviation security bill, particularly
involving baggage screening. Is the President willing to consider changing some
of these deadlines, either for baggage screening or security standards or
security standards or employment standards for -- security workers?
MR. FLEISCHER: In a speech that Secretary Mineta gave earlier today, the
Secretary discussed the realities of the legislation that was passed, which
provided 60 days for government to search every bag that goes into the hold of
airplanes. And the Secretary remains committed to getting that done within 60
days.
What he explained today is that it's going to be very difficult. The Secretary
has a variety of means available to him that go beyond the standard equipment to
search bags, and that can also be included over the 60-day period with searches
by individuals who are trained to look through bags, by dogs that are trained to
look through the bags.
Now, what the Secretary was talking about, of course, is the amount of time it
takes to bring equipment on board and the limited ability of manufacturers to
produce that equipment. They will be accelerating the amount of production. They
are looking at other companies that can also produce the equipment. Congress
gave a very tight 60-day deadline, and the administration is going to do
everything it possibly can to comply with it.
Q Ari, on transportation -- I'm wondering if the President has reached an
agreement with senators who sent a letter two weeks ago about the Mexican
trucks, to get a final deal as soon as possible?
And my second question is over the trade promotion authority. When are we going
to see the President -- this bill in this bill, in the House, especially the
Democrats who are opposing to get, as the President wants, before the end of the
year?
MR. FLEISCHER: On Mexico trucking, that's a matter that's on the Transportation
Appropriation Bill -- that is a topic of discussion with leaders on the Hill.
The President is working hard to get an agreement on that issue. The President
continues to believe it is very important not to discriminate our neighbors to
the south, and to allow them, under the terms of the North American Free Trade
Agreement, or NAFTA, the ability to carry out commerce in the United States.
It's an agreement we've made and the President thinks it should be honored.
On the trade promotion authority, the President has had a series of meetings and
continues to meet with the various members of Congress. The House of
Representatives have scheduled a vote on trade promotion authority for next
week, and this is always one of the -- it's always been an uphill fight, at
least in the last decade or so, to get trade promotion authority for the
President. And the President will continue to have conversations with Hill
leaders about it.
Q Ari, the fact that the President's father is going to be representing the U.S.
in Great Britain on Thursday, does that mean that the President is going to be
calling on him more often? He's played a fairly low-key role in the past. And
how did this come about? Did Great Britain ask that the President's father be
there, or did he --
MR. FLEISCHER: This is -- the President thought this is a fitting moment, and a
fitting event, when Britain holds a ceremony this Thursday to honor the families
of those who lost their lives in the World Trade Center in New York. There are
many Britons who were in the World Trade Center. And this event at Westminster
Abbey will be held to honor the families in a memorial service.
And the President sent a representative, an official representative of the
United States government, and that representative will be his father, the former
President. And so this is the first of these occasions where the former
President is representing the United States. And the President is very proud
that his father will be representing our country.
Q Will he be doing this more often, though?
MR. FLEISCHER: We'll always announce it, just as I did today. But I would not
urge you to read anything in to any one announcement. There had to be something
that came first, and this is it.
Q Ari, there are indications that not just Spain, but the rest of the European
Union states would be unwilling to extradite terror suspects if they face the
prospect of a trial by military tribunal. Are you prepared -- are you willing to
consider making guarantees that such suspects would not face a tribunal, in
order that they be extradited to the United States?
MR. FLEISCHER: In the matter at hand, nobody asked Spain to extradite anybody.
So it's not a relevant issue.
Q But it is clearly an issue that is going to come up, or that is likely to come
up. Do you plans for dealing with that issue?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's a speculation. It's hard to say that if we didn't ask
anybody be extradited, then Spain has a justice system that is fully capable of
carrying out, as it sees fit. But the United States never asked Spain to
extradite anybody.
Q Are you not going to ask that these eight suspects be extradited?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not aware of any plans to do that, no.
Q Saxby Chambliss, who is running for the Senate in Georgia, has apologized for
comments he made to some Georgia law enforcement personnel, where he's quoted as
saying, to deal with security issues in Georgia, "just turn the sheriff loose,
and have him arrest every Muslim that crosses the state line."
Now, when John Cooksey, a Republican from Louisiana also running for the Senate,
made some similarly inopportune comments, the White House criticized those. Do
you have some words also for Saxby Chambliss? And the President has gone out of
his way to admonish leaders to show tolerance to Muslims around the country. How
would you react to these comments?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President does not share those remarks. As you know, the
President has been very clear about the need for all Americans to be tolerant.
That's one of the finest traditions of our nation.
Q Does it, in any way, disqualify him as a candidate seeking the Republican
nomination for the Senate?
MR. FLEISCHER: Voters of Georgia are the determinant of that. I could share with
you the President's message.
Q Congress is back and obviously has strong comments about the agreement that
they made to keep spending at a certain level. Does that mean that the President
intends to veto anything that goes over that amount?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President has made that explicitly clear to the Congress,
yes.
Q And as he meets with congressional leaders tomorrow morning, will the White
House lay down any other markers? Are there any other bills before Congress --
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, tomorrow's meeting with the congressional leaders will be
important. And I think you can see from the President's point of view, the focus
will be on the Senate passing an economic stimulus package so Americans don't
lose their jobs. And the President will be giving a speech tomorrow on a similar
topic, about the importance of passing an economic stimulus package.
The House of Representatives has passed an economic stimulus to help America's
workers, and now the time has come for the Senate to do the same. It's hard to
imagine that the Senate would leave town without taking action on something so
important as helping Americans to keep their jobs. So I think it really will be
a matter of -- the Senate always has a difficult job, given the rules of the
Senate and the tight margins of the Senate, and this will be a real challenge
for the new Senate to see whether they can do it. And the President will be
helpful to the Senate so it can get done. But this, fundamentally, comes down to
whether the Senate can or cannot get the job done. The President hopes they can.
Q But there are a lot of issues before Congress. Are there any other issues on
which the President has laid down a marker, on which the White House has told
members of Congress he will veto if this bill does not change?
MR. FLEISCHER: There have been others; I think I'd have to go back and take a
careful look at some of the statements of administration policy on those issues
to determine it. Let me go back and take a look at that to be precise. There
have been, I think, one or two others, if I recall, Jim.
Q On the CIA agent -- is there anything new on that?
MR. FLEISCHER: No. I asked right before I came out here, and there's nothing new
to report.
Q Is the President willing to compromise on the stimulus package? Instead of
giving three-quarters of the money to corporations --
MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, your information on the statistics is not correct. Most of
the money under the President's proposal goes to individuals. The overwhelming
amount of money goes to individuals in the form of tax cuts for low-income
Americans, and also accelerating the existing tax cuts that Congress agreed to
for all Americans.
Q How much goes to corporations?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'd have to take a look at the exact numbers in the President's
proposal, but it's a small percentage of the overall amount of what the
President requested, which was some $60 billion to $75 billion. The overwhelming
amount is individual income tax rate cuts.
Having said that, the President does think it is important to pass provisions
that help businesses who are going through a difficult economic downturn, a
recession, to have incentives so they can invest in plant and equipment, which
helps create jobs.
Thank you.
END 12:43 P.M. EST