16 August 2002
Bush Pledges "Informed Decisions" on U.S. Iraq Policy
(Says he will use latest intelligence to defend peace, freedom) (760) President Bush says he is listening carefully to the debate among American experts on Iraq and will decide on the future course of U.S. actions regarding Baghdad "based upon the latest intelligence and how best to protect our own country plus our friends and allies." Speaking with reporters in Crawford, Texas August 16, Bush said there should be "no doubt in anybody's mind this man is thumbing his nose at the world, that he has gassed his own people, that he is trouble in his neighborhood, that he desires weapons of mass destruction. I will use all the latest intelligence to make informed decisions about how best to keep the world at peace, how best to defend freedom for the long run." The President also said that he understands why Mexican President Vicente Fox cancelled his planned trip to the United States following the execution August 14 in Texas of Javier Suarez Medina, who Fox says was a Mexican national. Medina was convicted for the 1988 killing of a police officer in Dallas, Texas. "I am confident that our friendship is strong, that we'll be able to work together to resolve common problems, and we'll have future discussions," he said. Following are excerpts from the president's remarks: (begin excerpt) THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary (Crawford, Texas) August 16, 2002 REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE PRESS POOL Crawford Community Center Crawford, Texas 11:55 A.M. CDT Q: Thank you, Mr. President. You spoke Tuesday with President Fox. THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I did. Q: What did you tell him about the execution? And are you disappointed he's not coming? THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, I understand why he's not coming. He said that if the execution goes forward, he's not going to come. Q: He told you that Tuesday? THE PRESIDENT: Yes, he did. And I said, well, we have laws here in America. We've got -- the state of Texas has got a law. I said that there's going to be full recourse to the courts, which there was. And the Governor made the decision he made, the Supreme Court made the decision it made, and President Fox made the decision he made. But I am confident that our friendship is strong, that we'll be able to work together to resolve common problems and we'll have future discussions. Q: Mr. President, not all Republicans seem sold on your intention to deal with dictators who gas their own people. What are you going to do to make that case more persuasively? Are you consulting with them? And, what is your obligation of getting approval, not just consultation, with Congress? THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I appreciate that question. First of all, I am aware that some very intelligent people are expressing their opinions about Saddam Hussein and Iraq. I listen carefully to what they have to say. There should be no doubt in anybody's mind this man is thumbing his nose at the world, that he has gassed his own people, that he is trouble in his neighborhood, that he desires weapons of mass destruction. I will use all the latest intelligence to make informed decisions about how best to keep the world at peace, how best to defend freedom for the long run. We'll continue to consult. Listen, it's a healthy debate for people to express their opinion. People should be allowed to express their opinion. But America needs to know, I'll be making up my mind based upon the latest intelligence and how best to protect our own country plus our friends and allies. (end excerpt) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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