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Military

26 November 2001

Bush Says Iraq Must Permit Weapons Inspections

(Bush remarks restate longstanding U.S. policy, Fleischer says) (890)
By Wendy S. Ross
Washington File White House Correspondent
Washington - Iraq's Saddam Hussein will "find out" the consequences if
he does not permit international inspectors back into Iraq in order to
prove to the world that he's not developing weapons of mass
destruction, President Bush says.
He made the comments November 26 in a question and answer session with
reporters in the Rose Garden following an event to welcome home two
American aid workers following three months of captivity by the
Taliban in Afghanistan.
Discussing the war on terrorism, Bush told reporters "Afghanistan is
still just the beginning."
"If anybody harbors a terrorist, they're a terrorist. If they fund a
terrorist, they're a terrorist. If they house terrorists, they're
terrorists," the President said.
"If they develop weapons of mass destruction that will be used to
terrorize nations, they will be held accountable. And as for Mr.
Saddam Hussein, he needs to let inspectors back in his country, to
show us that he is not developing weapons of mass destruction."
Bush, asked about North Korea, said, "Well, clearly, in terms of North
Korea, we want North Korea to allow inspectors in, to determine
whether or not they are," developing weapons of mass destruction.
"We've had that discussion with North Korea. I made it very clear to
North Korea that in order for us to have relations with them, that we
want to know, are they developing weapons of mass destruction? And
they ought to stop proliferating.
"So part of the war on terror is to deny ... weapons to be used for
means of terror getting in the hands of nations that will use them,"
Bush said.
Later in the day, besieged by reporters to clarify what the President
had said earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer
said he had talked with the President about his comments, and they are
a reiteration of longstanding U.S. foreign policy.
Currently "the President's focus is on Afghanistan," Fleischer said.
"The President has been focused on phase one, destroying the al Qaeda
and their ability to engage in terrorism; destroying the Taliban and
those who harbor terrorists."
The President's remarks, Fleischer said, are "a reaffirmation, a
restatement of a long-standing American policy, and I think it should
be readily understood that every American President has spoken out
strongly about Iraq or North Korea and any nation that would use
nuclear weapons, especially those nations that are state sponsors of
terrorism, regardless of whether September 11th took place or not. But
Saddam Hussein can figure out the rest of it if he wants.
"So what you heard today in the Rose Garden about Iraq and North Korea
is what you've heard from this president repeatedly for two years now,
from the campaign forward, about the manner in which he would treat
Iraq or North Korea, any nation that's a terrorist sponsor, state
sponsor of terrorism if they were to use, as he put it, use nuclear
weapons. There's a long body of quotes from the president prior to
September 11th, very similar," Fleischer said.
During the presidential campaign, Fleischer reminded reporters, Bush
"repeatedly referred to the issues of proliferation in North Korea.
That's one of the reasons the President believes in a missile defense,
because of the potential of North Korea to acquire weapons of mass
destruction and potentially use them. And he has had similar words
about Iraq."
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said "We all know what the
requirements are that Iraq is under, and as the President said today,
Iraq needs to let weapons inspectors back in if they're going to try
to show that they are not developing weapons of mass destruction. So,
it's quite clear what the international community expects of Iraq.
It's quite clear what the President expects of Iraq, and we will keep
that requirement in front of them.
"But I have not seen anything new from Iraq that would indicate that
they are willing to try to reassure the international community in any
way, or that they have changed their intentions of threatening their
own people and threatening their neighbors."
"These have been long-standing concerns of the United States,
long-standing concerns about weapons of mass destruction. As the
President said, this has always been his position. In fact, if you
look at the red lines that we've stated not only in this
administration but prior to that, one of the lines, red lines for
military action against Iraq, was always development of weapons of
mass destruction."
In his Rose Garden remarks, Bush was also asked whether he was
concerned with the amount of dissent over his decision to establish
military tribunals to try suspected terrorists.
Bush responded that he was "not the least bit concerned. I made the
right decision. A President must have the option of using a military
tribunal in times of war. I look forward to explaining to my friend,
the President of Spain, why I made that decision. It makes eminent
sense to have the military tribunal option available. It makes sense
for national security purposes, it makes sense for the protection of
potential jurors. It makes sense for homeland security. It is the
right decision to make, and I will explain that to any leader who
asks."
(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)



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