25 September 2002
Bush Says Iraq, al Qaeda Pose Threat to United States
("Can't distinguish" between the two in the war against terror) (1630)
Iraq and al Qaeda work in concert, President Bush has said, and both
need to be dealt with to protect U.S. national security.
"The danger is that al Qaeda becomes an extension of Saddam's madness
and his hatred and his capacity to extend weapons of mass destruction
around the world," Bush told reporters at the White House September
25.
Speaking at a photo opportunity for visiting Colombian President
Alvaro Uribe, Bush commented that "you can't distinguish between al
Qaeda and Saddam when you talk about the war on terror," since the two
are "equally as evil and equally as destructive."
Asked if he was turning conflict with Iraq into a political issue,
Bush replied that Iraq is a "legitimate national security concern,"
since protecting the American people is the "most important job this
president will have, and it's the most important job future presidents
will have, because the nature of war has changed."
Bush also reiterated his administration's support for the Colombian
government's fight against terrorist groups there, saying he wanted to
affirm the United States' "strong desire to help the Colombian
government and the Colombian people [to] prosper and to live in
freedom."
As one example of such U.S. support, Bush pointed to the renewal
earlier this year of the Andean Trade Preference Act (APTA) that
further opens U.S. markets to exported products from Colombia and
three other Andean nations.
Following is a transcript of President Bush's and President Uribe's
remarks:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
September 25, 2002
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT BUSH
AND PRESIDENT ALVARO URIBE OF COLOMBIA
IN PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
The Oval Office
11:32 A.M. EDT
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you. Welcome. Here's what we're going to do. I
am going to give a statement, President Uribe will give a statement. I
will call upon an American journalist, the President will call upon a
Colombian journalist. I will then call upon another American
journalist, the President will call upon a Colombian journalist. And
then you all will leave. (Laughter.)
Mr. President, welcome to the Oval Office. It is my honor to welcome
this good man, this friend of freedom, to the Oval Office. I have been
incredibly impressed by his vision for a peaceful Colombia and a
prosperous Colombia. He's a man who told the people of his country
that he would work to eradicate terrorism, narco-trafficking. The
Colombian people believe him, and so do I.
And today I want to affirm our country's strong desire to help the
Colombian government and the Colombian people prosper and to live in
freedom. I appreciate his leadership. I appreciate his strength of
character. I appreciate his clear vision.
So, Mr. President, bienvenidos a la Oval Office, aqui en la Casa
Blanca.
PRESIDENT URIBE: Muchas gracias, Presidente. (continues to speak in
Spanish.)
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, sir.
Would you like that translated into English?
PRESIDENT URIBE: Thank you, Mr. President, for this warm welcome. We
needed the support of your country, the support of your government,
your personal support for my country to solve problems of violence,
economic and social problems. You have set up a very effective example
of the way we need to go on to fight and to defeat terrorism. We are,
in necessity, to have allies such as you and your government for
Colombians to restore law and order, for Colombians to restore a way
of creating employment, of improvement of our standard of living.
Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Por nada. (Laughter.)
Patsy Wilson, Reuters.
Q: Mr. President, do you believe that Saddam Hussein is a bigger
threat to the United States than al Qaeda?
PRESIDENT BUSH: That's a -- that is an interesting question. I'm
trying to think of something humorous to say. (Laughter.) But I can't
when I think about al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein. They're both risks,
they're both dangerous. The difference, of course, is that al Qaeda
likes to hijack governments. Saddam Hussein is a dictator of a
government. Al Qaeda hides, Saddam doesn't, but the danger is, is that
they work in concert. The danger is, is that al Qaeda becomes an
extension of Saddam's madness and his hatred and his capacity to
extend weapons of mass destruction around the world.
Both of them need to be dealt with. The war on terror, you can't
distinguish between al Qaeda and Saddam when you talk about the war on
terror. And so it's a comparison that is -- I can't make because I
can't distinguish between the two, because they're both equally as
bad, and equally as evil, and equally as destructive.
MR. FLEISCHER: Question for a Colombian reporter?
Q: Mr. President Bush, the Colombian government is here asking for
support from the U.S. government, economic support, both with the
Andean Trade Preference Act and also maybe from the Department of
Treasury. Is the government, the U.S. government, willing to help the
Colombian government?
PRESIDENT BUSH: We're certainly willing to help the government and the
Colombian people realize a prosperous future. I've asked my Secretary
of Treasury to be here today to listen to the dialogue with the
President. There will be further discussions. The Andean Trade
Preference Act has been renewed and revitalized to the benefit of the
Colombian economy.
We had a big discussion here in America, and I got a favorable vote
out of our Congress that I'm confident will benefit those who seek
work in Colombia. We look forward to working with international
institutions to help this good man and this good, important country to
grow and prosper.
And so the purpose of this visit is to not only talk about prosperity
and economic growth and vitality, but it's also to talk about how to
fight terror. And I'm looking forward to a good and active discussion.
Terry Moran.
Q: Mr. President, are you politicizing the war? Do you think Americans
should base their vote in November in part on where a candidate stands
on the war?
PRESIDENT BUSH: I think the American people ought to understand that
life has changed here in this country; that it used to be two oceans
would separate us from danger, that we were quite comfortable in our
shores knowing that it would take an unusual circumstance to be
attacked. After September the 11th, we were attacked, and the American
people understand that this country must deal with the true threats.
I am as determined today as I was on September the 11th to pursue an
enemy which still wants to hurt America. I am absolutely determined to
make sure that 10 years from now we don't look back and say, what
happened, why did America go soft, why did we ignore true threats that
face our people?
And I hope the American people understand that. I was concerned, of
course, after September the 11th, that as time went by, some might
forget, some might forget the true threats. Of course, I'm reminded of
that every day when I come here to the Oval Office that we face true
threats. And, Terry, my job is to protect the American people. It's my
most important job, most important assignment I have. And I will
continue to do that, regardless of the season.
Q: So it's a legitimate political issue?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Legitimate national security concern is what it is.
You may try to politicize it. I view it as my main obligation; that
is, to protect the American people. It's the most important job this
president will have, and it's the most important job future presidents
will have, because the nature of war has changed. We're vulnerable.
And, therefore, I expect -- the American people should expect me, and
any President, to do everything we can to protect the homeland. And I
will, I'll do that.
Q: Mr. President, a question for both. What are your reactions on the
U.S. extradition request of Colombian paramilitary leader Carlos
Costano? And if you would also answer, Colombia sent you a letter
yesterday saying that there's no need to sign a bilateral agreement
with the U.S. in terms of the ICC that you are seeking to sign with
all other countries in the world. Do you think -- do you still like a
bilateral agreement with Colombia and those --
PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes, we want an Article 98 with all countries,
absolutely. I strongly reject the ICC. I'm not going to accept an ICC.
I'm not going to put ourselves in a position where our soldiers and
diplomats get hauled into a court over which we have got -- the
prosecutors whom we don't know, the judges -- I mean, we're not going
to allow ourselves to do that. And our friends shouldn't want us to be
put in that position. Therefore, we're seeking Article 98s from our
friends.
And we will hold people to account. If they're a terrorist, we're
going to hold them to account. So the guy who got indicted yesterday
made a decision to be a terrorist; we made a decision to hold him to
account. And we will continue to do that. We believe that's part of
our responsibility as freedom-loving people.
And I look forward to working with President Uribe to hold others to
account, if they continue to terrorize the world. And terrorism --
terrorists attacked our country and hurt us. If they attack Colombia
and hurt them, they're still equally as guilty, as far as we're
concerned. It doesn't matter who the victim is. What matters is
whether or not they're practicing terrorist activities.
And we will continue to fight terror. It's our obligation, our duty.
History has called us into action.
Thank you all.
11:44 A.M. EDT
(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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