14 December 2001
Transcript: Bush Says Bin Laden Videotape "Devastating Declaration of Guilt"
(President also says peace in Mideast remains a priority) (1380)
President Bush called a recently released videotape of statements by
Osama bin Laden on the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United
States "a devastating declaration of guilt for this evil person."
Bush spoke in response to reporters' questions at a White House press
conference with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra December 14.
The videotape shows bin Laden rejoicing over the effectiveness of the
September 11 attacks. Anybody who suggests that the videotape has been
doctored or fabricated, Bush continued, is just offering "a feeble
excuse to provide weak support for an incredibly evil man."
Bush said he did not know when U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan would
capture bin Laden, but emphasized that "he may hide for a while, but
we'll get him" eventually.
"I have no timetable in mind," Bush said, nor did he state any
preference whether bin Laden was captured dead or alive. "I don't
care. Dead or alive, either way. I mean, I -- it doesn't matter to
me."
Asked about Palestinian Chairman Arafat and the prospect of peace in
the Middle East, Bush replied:
"I will continue to make peace in the Middle East a priority, and it
starts with routing out terror wherever it exists."
Bush also praised the strength of the relationship between the United
States and Thailand, and said the Thai prime minister's visit to the
White House was further confirmation "that our longtime friend will be
a steady ally in the fight against terror."
Following is the White House transcript of the event:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary
December 14, 2001
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER THAKSIN SHINAWATRA OF
THAILAND IN PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
THE PRESIDENT: I want to welcome the Prime Minister of our longtime
friend, Thailand, to the Oval Office.
Mr. Prime Minister, thank you so much for being here.
PRIME MINISTER SHINAWATRA: Thank you, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: This is not the first time I've had a chance to have a
meaningful discussion with the Prime Minister. We sat next to each
other in Shanghai, and we had a couple of hours worth of very
substantive discussions about our relationships, about our mutual
concerns, about our desire to work closely together on a variety of
fronts.
The Prime Minister has assured me, and this visit is further
confirmation, that our longtime friend will be a steady ally in the
fight against terror.
Mr. Prime Minister, I thank you for that.
And secondly today, our Secretary of State and the Foreign Minister of
his government are going to work on a framework for economic
cooperation which will be completed. And it's further evidence that
this relationship is a strong, strong relationship. And so, Mr. Prime
Minister, I'm so thrilled you are here, and welcome to the Oval
Office.
PRIME MINISTER SHINAWATRA: Thank you, Mr. President.
Thailand and the U.S. has been treaty allies since 1833. This is very
right for me to visit and giving full support to U.S., which is our
very long ally. And it's very right for me to discuss war against
terrorism and also -- economic issues that we should further enhance
the cooperation among our two countries.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
Steve. What we're going to do is two questions from the American
press, two questions from our visitors, if there are any.
Steve.
Q: Sir, what do you expect Americans to get out of the bin Laden tape?
And what do you say to some of the Islamic world who contend it's a
farce or a fake?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, for those who contend it's a farce or a fake are
hoping for the best about an evil man. I mean, this is bin Laden
unedited. This is bin Laden -- the bin Laden who has murdered people.
This is the man who sent innocent people to their death by -- this is
a man who is so devious and so cold-hearted that he laughs about the
suicide, so-called suicide bombers that lost their lives.
It is preposterous for anybody to think that this tape is doctored.
That's just a feeble excuse to provide weak support for an incredibly
evil man.
And, you know, I had mixed emotions about this tape because there's a
lot of people who suffered as a result of his evil. And I was hesitant
to allow there to be a vivid reminder of their loss and tragedy
displayed on our TVs. On the other hand, I knew that it would be --
that the tape would be a devastating declaration of guilt for this
evil person.
Ron.
Q: Sir, two things. Is Osama bin Laden cornered? And when you weigh
the pros and cons of either option, would you rather take him alive so
you can question him, or dead so you don't have to deal with him?
THE PRESIDENT: I don't care. Dead or alive, either way. I mean, I --
it doesn't matter to me.
Secondly, I don't know whether we're going to get him tomorrow, or a
month from now, or a year from now. I really don't know. But we're
going to get him. And I -- the American people must understand that I
have no timetable in mind. There's no -- I don't have a calendar that
I say, well, gosh, if he's not gotten by this certain moment, then
I'll be disappointed. Because I am pleased with the progress that
we're making in Afghanistan. I mean, there is no such thing as a
Taliban. We have liberated, literally liberated village after village
from incredible barbaric behavior toward women and children.
I think one of the joyous parts of this war, if there is such a thing
as a joyous part of a war, is to see the -- is to see what it means
for our country and our alliance to free people. We're achieving a lot
of our objectives. But we're chasing a person obviously who is willing
to send suicide bombers, on the one hand, and hide in a cave. Somebody
who is -- encourages young people to go kill themselves, and he,
himself, refuses to stand and fight. And so he may hide for a while,
but we'll get him.
Anybody care to talk to the Prime Minister?
Q: I'll ask one. Mr. President, do you see any signs of hope or
progress in stopping the killing in the Middle East? And do you
believe that Israel has been justified in its retaliatory actions
against the Palestinian leadership, and in the Prime Minister's
decision to cut off contacts with Chairman Arafat?
THE PRESIDENT: First, let me talk about Chairman Arafat. Chairman
Arafat has said that he intends to fight terror and to bring those to
justice who are killing, murderers, in the Middle East, and now is his
time to perform. The world expects Chairman Arafat to lead, and so do
I. And I will continue to work with our friends and allies to make it
-- to talk to Mr. Arafat in very blunt terms.
And that is, if you want to achieve the Mitchell -- if you want to get
in the Mitchell process, if you want there to be a peace, you must do
everything in your power, you must use your security forces to bring
to justice those who murder to keep peace from happening.
The world has now seen that there are killers and murderers around the
world and in the Middle East that are not interested in peace. Our
government strongly desires peace. We have sent emissaries throughout
my administration to work to get a secure enough environment to get
into the Mitchell process. We still have a man in place, General
Zinni, working to get there to be some kind of security arrangements
so we could possibly get into Mitchell. But so long as there's killers
and people who would derail the peace process by murdering others,
it's going to be very difficult to do.
I will continue to make peace in the Middle East a priority, and it
starts with routing out terror wherever it exists.
Listen, thank you all very much. Have a great weekend.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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