- Afghanistan
- Africa
- Budget Management
- Defense
- Economy
- Education
- Energy
- Environment
- Global Diplomacy
- Health Care
- Homeland Security
- Immigration
- International Trade
- Iraq
- Judicial Nominations
- Middle East
- National Security
- Veterans
more issues
| Home > News & Policies > Press Secretary Briefings |
Printer-Friendly Version
Email This Page
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 26, 2003
Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer
James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
- President's schedule
- Canadian proposal
- President's speech
- Democracy in Iraq
- Cost of a war
- Middle East peace/Iraq
- Economy/deficits
- North Korea
- Dan Rather interview of Saddam Hussein
- Comments of French Prime Minister
- Medicare/seniors
1:25 P.M. EST
MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. The President began his day with a
phone call to Hungarian Prime Minister Medgyessy. The two had a very
good conversation, Hungary being a very close friend and ally of the
United States. The President expressed his sympathy to the people of
Hungary for the flood that has hit Hungary. And he also thanked the
Prime Minister for his leadership and support, and President Bush noted
the Hungarian Parliament's vote on February 24th to authorize the
transit of U.S. equipment through Hungary.
The President expressed his determination to work through the
Security Council and with Security Council members, but noted that time
is running out before action needs to be taken to disarm Saddam
Hussein.
The President today also spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Jean
Chretien. The main focus of the conversation was Iraq and the draft
resolution on Iraq, as presented by the United States, Britain and
Spain. The President has consulted several times with Prime Minister
Chretien on Iraq, although Canada, an important ally in the war on
terrorism, is not a U.N. Security Council member. The two leaders
pledged to stay in close contact and to consult as the process moves
forward.
Then the President had an intelligence briefing, FBI briefing. The
President this morning dropped by the Latino Coalition where he gave a
speech about the domestic economy and urged the Senate to take action
to confirm Miguel Estrada to the bench. He also met with the President
of Azerbaijan, which was a very cordial and warm meeting, as well. He
thanked the President of Azerbaijan for his strong support in the war
on terror.
He had lunch with the Vice President. Let me go back on that --
he had lunch. I'm not certain if it was with the Vice President. I'll
get back on that.
And then, later this evening, the President will make remarks at
the American Enterprise Institute annual dinner. The focus of the
President's remarks will be about Iraq and the situation there.
With that, I'm happy to take your questions. Ron.
Q On the Canadian call, is there anything that the President
finds acceptable in their compromise proposal at the U.N.?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President has offered a resolution that
he thinks is the way to go. And the President will continue to talk to
leaders around the world to make the case for that resolution. And he
is confident in the end that his position will be accepted and voted
on.
Q What's his feeling about the Canadian resolution?
MR. FLEISCHER: Why don't you describe it to me.
Q I think you're very familiar with it.
MR. FLEISCHER: If there something specific you want to bring to my
attention about it --
Q One thing, it would push back -- push back the timetable.
MR. FLEISCHER: The President has not established a timetable. The
President has said that time is running out, and he has said weeks, not
months. And that's the timetable the President has established.
Q It would establish a deadline, as well.
MR. FLEISCHER: The resolution that the President has proposed in
the United Nations or their allies does not discuss a specific hard
resolution.
Q So what do you think about establishing a deadline?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President believes that the resolution that the
United States, the UK, and Spain have proposed is the right way to go,
and that's what he is urging action to be taken on.
Q If I could just really quickly follow. Is it accurate, then,
to say he opposes the Canadian compromise?
MR. FLEISCHER: The point the President is making is that time is
running out, and that this issue has to come to a conclusion, that the
time is coming for Saddam Hussein to be disarmed. And that's the point
the President has made.
Q Ari, the President is going to talk tonight about the future
of Iraq as he sees it. What does he think is the level of sacrifice
and some of the downsides to American-led occupation of Iraq after an
invasion? And what does he envision the immediate outcome will be, not
only in Iraq, but in the area?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President will get into this at some length
tonight, but this will be a big-picture speech about the situation in
Iraq. It will be a big picture piece about peace and disarmament. The
President will talk in the speech about what the future may hold, not
only for the people of Iraq, once liberated and allowed to become on
their own, democratic; but also what it means for the security of the
region, because the President believes that a free Iraq will lead to a
more stable Mideast.
Q What about the consequences of American-led occupation of a
country in the Middle East?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President has made clear that in the
event of hostilities in Iraq, the United States will stay for as long
as necessary, but not a day longer. And therefore, the President
continues to look at this as a situation where the people of Iraq are
capable of governing Iraq. And that is the future of Iraq -- an Iraq
governed by the Iraqis.
Q One more question about this. Everybody talks about
democracy and liberation for the Iraqi people. He doesn't really
believe that it's going to be the sort of democracy that exists here in
America, does he?
MR. FLEISCHER: Tune in tonight. The President has very strong --
Q Wait a second. Why do the American people have to wait until
a speech before the American Enterprise Institute? Why can't you just
answer the question? We're not talking about organic democracy the way
it exists here, right? Because if that were the case, then maybe Iraq
would be split up in some way.
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, if I answer your question, are you going to
go to the speech? I want you to still attend the speech tonight,
David.
Q You know I'll be in both places.
MR. FLEISCHER: I hope -- (laughter) -- at the same time. No,
the President, of course, believes that democracy can spread to Iraq.
Why shouldn't it? Democracy is not boxed in. Democracy doesn't live
in limits. Democracy, as the President says, is God's gift to the
world. Liberty does not come from America. Liberty is a naturally
endowed right that comes from the Creator, according to our own
Declaration of Independence. There is no reason in the world that the
President does not think that democracy can spread. And the President
does believe that the people of Iraq are fully capable of living under
a democratic way of life. Of course, they are.
Q Then why are you going to bomb them? (Laughter.) I mean,
how do you bomb people back to democracy? This is a question of
conquest. They didn't ask to be liberated by the United States. This
is our self-imposed political solution for them.
MR. FLEISCHER: Let me guess that you will not be at the speech
tonight. Helen, the President is going to --
Q I'll be very interested in what the President has to say
because I don't think -- I think if you ask five people anywhere,
what's the reason the President wants to go to war, you'll get five
different answers. Usually there's one defining moment and solution.
MR. FLEISCHER: Tonight, the President is going to discuss this. I
think you will hear the President tonight talk about the threat of
Saddam Hussein and how he poses a danger to the American --
Q In 12 years he hasn't done anything.
MR. FLEISCHER: We will temporarily suspend the Q&A portion of
today's briefing to bring you this advocacy minute. (Laughter.)
Q Ari, how much is this war going to cost?
MR. FLEISCHER: That will depend on a number of factors, many of
them up to Saddam Hussein and to Saddam Hussein's henchmen. If Saddam
Hussein and his henchmen do not follow orders, if they don't follow
their orders from Saddam Hussein, that can lead to one scenario. And
so it is too soon to say with precision how much this war will cost.
Q You can do better than that, with all respect. The
administration has to have gamed out these scenarios and put numbers,
dollar figures to them. And I wonder -- you have been reluctant to
tell us what those numbers might be. Why be reluctant to level with
the American people about the real dollar costs of the war?
MR. FLEISCHER: It's not a question of leveling. There is
unquestionably a responsibility on the Executive Branch to provide to
the Legislative Branch an estimate about what the war would cost, what
the humanitarian operation would cost. And that is a responsibility
the administration takes seriously.
Because we take it seriously, I'm not in a position to speculate
what the number may be. At the appropriate time, and if the President
makes a determination to use force, a request for the funding will, of
course, be sent up to the Congress. And then it will be based on the
latest information that is available. It is too soon to be able to
have any type of reliable number to indicate right now.
Q But you said there are scenarios. It would cost X amount of
money with scenario one. You've had -- you have to have done that.
Why not share those, so that people get a sense of what they will be
called upon to pay?
MR. FLEISCHER: Because scenarios aren't sent up to the Congress.
Supplemental requests for funding are sent up to the Congress based on
more recent information, and it is too soon to say at this point --
that's the answer.
Q Can you explain for us how deposing Saddam Hussein improves
the chances for Mideast peace?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President will discuss this tonight, but
suffice it to say that Saddam Hussein has provided funding for
terrorism in the Middle East for suicide bombers; Saddam Hussein is a
force of instability in the Middle East; and the President does believe
that the more there is movements toward democracy in the region,
movements toward reform, movements toward government that is helpful
and reform-minded toward the people, the better the prospect for peace,
broadly speaking.
Q So you're saying that there's a direct linkage between
violence in the Middle East and Saddam? It seems to me --
MR. FLEISCHER: Unquestionably. When Saddam Hussein pays suicide
bombers to engage in suicide bombing, it's a direct correlation.
Q It seems to me, though, that historically and ideologically,
Iran has been a much bigger influence in that area than Saddam has ever
been. But are you saying that if you remove Saddam from power,
suddenly you can pave the path to Mideast peace?
MR. FLEISCHER: I know you will be at the speech tonight, as well.
Q Ari, many estimates we've seen on the war's cost in tens of
billions, up over $100 billion. Can you explain the wisdom of
continuing to pursue hundreds of billions in tax cuts when you have
this large potential liability out there that could increase the budget
deficit? And didn't Lyndon Johnson get in trouble for the same sort of
thinking during Vietnam, in wanting to maintain his fiscal program
while funding the Vietnam War?
MR. FLEISCHER: Whether or not the President decides to authorize
the use of force, it is vital for out country that the economy grow.
And the President believes one of the best ways to help the economy
grow is to provide the tax relief that can give a boost to the economy
and create jobs for the American people. Whether or not the President
authorizes the use of force, the American people deserve to have jobs.
And whether or not the President authorizes a use of force, it still is
important to get prescription drugs to our nation's seniors and to
strengthen the Medicare program.
I'm certain you would not suggest that if we go to war, seniors
somehow don't deserve prescription drugs. There are still a series of
initiatives that are important, and the fundamental focus of the
President will be on growth policies can help people get jobs and get
the economy growing stronger.
Q So the deficit doesn't matter at all? I mean, he doesn't
consider --
MR. FLEISCHER: Clearly, it does.
Q -- that a factor in the economy?
MR. FLEISCHER: Clearly, it does. And that's why the President is
focused on policies that create growth, because the President believes
that growth policies are the best way to deal with deficits.
Q Is the President going to talk at all tonight about the road
map for peace in the Middle East? Is he going to get that specific?
MR. FLEISCHER: He will talk about prospects for peace in the
Middle East.
Q And how much of the speech will be devoted to Israelis and
Palestinians, and specifically, to Israel?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not going to get into percentages or numbers.
The speech is coming up and we're trying to build an audience. I'm
sure many people are going to tune in tonight.
Q Is it on the air?
MR. FLEISCHER: Is it on the air, the speech?
Q Is it going to be televised?
MR. FLEISCHER: That's not a question you should address to me.
Q On North Korea, does diplomacy represent a chance in the Bush
doctrine about preemptively dealing with threats?
MR. FLEISCHER: Of course not. The strategic policies of the
administration include numerous different tactics to deal with
different threats, depending on what the threat is in any different
region of the world. And so the administration has a series of options
available to it. And in the case of North Korea, the President has
made the judgment that diplomacy is the path to take.
Q Ari, I'd like to ask you about a couple of meetings that were
reported -- one between President Bush and Don Rumsfeld and the head
of OMB to discuss the cost of war. Can you tell us if there were any
figures during that meeting that you can tell us about? Secondly,
there was reportedly a meeting between President Bush and President
Putin's top aide, Aleksander Voloshin. What was discussed there? Are
the Russians getting closer to supporting the U.S. on the U.N.
resolution?
MR. FLEISCHER: On your second question, that was not a reported
meeting, I told you about it. I announced that the meeting will take
place and I briefed on that the other day. The President discussed his
thinking about the situation in Iraq and the deepening and
strengthening United States relationship with Russia.
On your first question, as I indicated, that while it is too soon
to get into any specific numbers until something is sent up to the
Hill, it is, of course, the responsibility of the Executive Branch to
make a proposal. And so you can certainly expect the administration is
focusing on what the proposal may ultimately be if the President
decides to authorize force.
Q So was there a meeting?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yes.
Q When?
MR. FLEISCHER: Yesterday.
Q Ari, did the President wait until after the Israeli elections
to speak on the problem of peace in the Middle East? In general, how
crucial does he think solving the Arab-Israeli conflict is to the
overall question of peace in the Middle East?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the President thinks solving the Arab-Israeli
problem is central to resolving many of the issues in the Middle East.
And the President believes the best way to solve that problem is
through the reform of the Palestinian institutions, so that Israel has
a partner in peace and the Palestinians have assurances that Israel,
living in peace and security, will recognize and allow a Palestinian
state to grow and to prosper.
Q That sounds very much like what he said in the past, so we
shouldn't expect anything new on that?
MR. FLEISCHER: You'll find out tonight.
Q Did he wait until after the Israeli elections to make this
speech?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, no. I think the speech, as you will see
tonight, is going to be about several things, not just the big picture
about Israeli-Palestinian and Middle East peace. That will, indeed, be
a component of the speech. So there will be other aspects in the
speech, as well.
But, clearly, there was an election in Israel. And I think it's
fairly obviously that, for example, if somebody were to make a proposal
in, let's say, October of 2000, October 2004, from a foreign country
into the United States, that might not be the most propitious time to
make a proposal if you really want to work with interested parties in a
substantive way to move things forward.
Q Did the Defense Secretary share with the President his sense
of what the Defense Department's numbers might be on the cost of a
war?
MR. FLEISCHER: I really have nothing I'm going to indicate beyond
what I've said before. I think the process is something you're very
familiar with. And the time any administration would make any proposal
to the Hill for supplemental spending, conversation will, of course,
take place about what it could be. And once additional information --
accurate information -- is in hand, then the administration will be
in a position to send something to the Hill, if the President
authorizes the use of force.
Q Yes, now, we all understand that the President hasn't made a
decision yet either on war or on the cost of the war, and that at some
point he will, and that there are a lot of variables. I'm more
interested in finding out whether or not Defense Secretary Rumsfeld
told him what officials are saying today, which is that their estimate
of the Defense Department part of this effort would be $75 billion to
$85 billion.
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm just not going to get into any speculation
about numbers.
Q Or about whether -- I'm not asking speculation, I'm just
asking if Rumsfeld told the President what officials are telling
reporters today.
MR. FLEISCHER: It's not position to speak for the Secretary of
Defense.
Q Has the President actually been told anything, without regard
for what it is, have numbers been shared with him?
MR. FLEISCHER: At the appropriate time, when the administration
has something that is ready to get sent up to the Hill, if there is
something, we will share it.
Q I'm asking if the President had been -- anybody had shared
numbers with the President.
MR. FLEISCHER: Jim, I've answered the question. I've given you
what I can give you on the topic.
Q But you said that -- I think you said this morning that a
supplemental would go up if the President does decide to order military
action -- immediately or very soon after the military action begins.
Is that correct?
MR. FLEISCHER: I said the timing will be determined, whether it's
immediately or in short order thereafter.
Q Short order thereafter? But how will you know what you need
to spend at that point?
MR. FLEISCHER: This is why -- this is why the timing remains an
open question.
Q Yes, but you said immediately or very shortly thereafter.
You can't --
MR. FLEISCHER: I said immediately or in short order thereafter.
This is why the timing remains an open question as to what short order
is defined as.
Q Do you know if you're going to do many supplementals, or just
one?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, again, you're going around on the same topic,
asking me to predict the future with precision, and I just cannot
accurately or reliably do that. There will come a time when that is
knowable and sayable. That time has not yet arrived.
Q I had a question about the CBS broadcast tonight, but first
of all, could you address the second half of the question about the
Voloshin meeting? Did that meeting produce any movement toward the
United States position on the --
MR. FLEISCHER: It's exactly as I read out the other day, and any
further discussion about Russia's position at the United Nations
Security Council needs to be addressed to Russian spokespeople.
Q The Russian meeting happened today, not a few days ago.
MR. FLEISCHER: No, the meeting that took place -- I think the
question dealt with the Russian equivalent of the Chief of Staff, who
came here to visit. That meeting took place, I believe, yesterday.
Q It wasn't --
MR. FLEISCHER: I read it out.
Q I think it was Monday.
MR. FLEISCHER: Yesterday or the day before. But, in any case, I
read it out and I answered the questions. If you're asking what
Russia's position on the Security Council may be, that's a question for
Russian officials.
Q On the CBS broadcast, you said this morning that the CBS
position was that -- that you had gone to CBS and asked for the
ability to participate in the broadcast tonight and they said that it
will be the President or nothing. We understand that this morning, at
least, they have come back and said that they would find it acceptable
if it were the President, the Vice President or the Secretary of
State. Is that something --
MR. FLEISCHER: Subsequent to the phone conversation that took
place, CBS has said to the White House that they would be willing to
have other guests on. And I want to make a couple points. One is, I
think the American media generally are going to be facing some
interesting and difficult decisions as Iraq puts people out to engage
in propaganda. I believe that in this case Dan Rather deserves to be
congratulated for getting a serious journalistic interview with Saddam
Hussein. However, we view what Saddam Hussein has said as propaganda
and lies. And so the appropriate response is something that we will,
of course, talk to CBS about, to see at what level and who could go out
and respond to it. And that's a conversation we'll have with CBS.
Q But are you going to accept their offer of the President,
Vice President or Secretary of State --
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, as I indicate, we will talk to CBS about the
appropriate person to respond and timing of response, et cetera. I
made the point I made.
Q Do you think CBS made a mistake by not taking you up on your
original --
MR. FLEISCHER: Ken, I characterize it as I did this morning, and
my characterization stands, and that's what I have to indicate on it.
Q Ari, when you sent up a budget earlier this month, you
anticipated an approximately $300 billion deficit. Given all this war
planning and talk about subsequent costs, are you anticipating a
contingency of a larger deficit than $300 billion?
MR. FLEISCHER: Contingency of what?
Q A larger deficit than $300 billion.
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, it all depends on the status of the
economy; it depends on the decisions that get made not only on a
supplemental, but on other spending issues pending in the Congress.
Clearly, the President has identified priorities. His priorities are
economic growth; his priorities are funding homeland security and
providing for our national defense. One of the best ways to test
whether or not the deficit will grow out of control will be to test
whether or not Congress is curbing its spending appetite. And this all
goes into what creates a deficit.
Q You don't anticipate war costs to be in one of those
factors?
MR. FLEISCHER: Of course, I said, in protecting national defense.
That's clearly included in the sup.
Q Ari, you said many times -- whether in reference to foreign
protests, domestic protests, questions from the Hill, wherever, that
the President welcomes an honest and open debate about how we move
forward on Iraq. But given the concerns over the deficit, given the
concerns over the economy, isn't it fair to include in that debate,
even with all the caveats he wanted to attach to it, some preliminary
figures on what this might cost -- best case scenario, worst case
scenario -- so that people around the country and people on Capitol
Hill can make up their minds about how we move forward?
MR. FLEISCHER: You're asking the same questions over and over
again; my answer is exactly the same. Nothing has changed.
Q The reason we're asking over and over again is it doesn't
seem unreasonable to get at least a cost range, with all the
appropriate caveats. You know everybody in this room is careful about
reporting those. What's the harm in putting that out? I mean, it's
--
MR. FLEISCHER: For the exact reasons I gave earlier. As soon as
something is knowable, we will have additional information to share on
it. I'd think you would also not want the White House to engage in any
speculation about numbers that could fluctuate or be dramatically
different. So it's too soon to say.
Q A recently departed Larry Lindsey put forward an estimate
back in December based on a percentage of GDP which was in line with
the spending --
MR. FLEISCHER: Are you asking me to follow the example and be
recently departed? (Laughter.)
Q That's a decision you can make --
