03 December 2002
White House Report, Dec. 3: Bush on Iraq; Foreign Policy Appointments
(Zalmay Khalilzad, Elliot Abrahms named to new positions) (950) BUSH REPEATS WARNING TO SADDAM HUSSEIN United Nations weapons inspectors are in Iraq "not to play hide-and-seek" with Saddam Hussein but to "verify the will of the world" that he disarm for the sake of peace, President Bush said December 3. "And if he refuses to disarm, if he tries to deceive his way out of disarmament, this nation -- along with other willing nations -- will disarm" him, Bush said at a luncheon in New Orleans where he campaigned on behalf of Suzanne Terrell, the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from Louisiana. Terrell is in a run-off election race against incumbent Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu. "It's important for our fellow Americans to understand that when we're talking about Saddam Hussein we're talking about a man who said he has had no weapons of mass destruction, yet we believe has weapons of mass destruction," Bush said. Iraq's leader, Bush added, has not only had weapons of mass destruction but has used them on his neighbors and on his own citizens. "He's a man who has professed hate to America, as well as our friends and allies. He's a man who has got terrorist ties, a man who helps train terrorists. He's a threat and he's a danger." Earlier in the day, in a speech in Shreveport, Louisiana, Bush reminded his audience that both the United Nations Security Council, by a 15 to zero vote, and leaders at the recent NATO Summit in Prague agreed that Saddam Hussein must honor the United Nations Security Council resolutions to disarm. "Overwhelmingly, the message was, enough is enough," Bush said. "And now there's inspectors inside this country. But I want to tell you, the issue is not the inspectors. The issue is whether or not Mr. Saddam Hussein will disarm like he said he would. "The fundamental question is, in the name of peace, in the name of security, not only for America and the American people, in the name of security for our friends in the neighborhood, in the name of freedom, will this man disarm? The choice is his. And if he does not disarm, the United States of America will lead a coalition and disarm him, in the name of peace." Bush added that "by being tough and strong and united in the face of danger, we can bring peace to the world. I believe that. I believe that, by doing what we need to do to secure the world from terrorist attack, to rid tyrants of weapons of mass destruction, to make sure that somebody like Saddam Hussein doesn't serve as a training base or a provider of weapons of mass destruction to terrorist networks -- by doing our job, that the world will be more peaceful. "By standing strong for what we believe, by remembering that freedom is not America's gift to the world but God's gift to each and every human being, that we can achieve peace. I want you to tell your kids and your grandkids that amidst all the speculation about war and military, that our drive and our vision is for a peaceful world in which everybody can realize their potential and live in peace." BUSH, RICE ANNOUNCE FOREIGN POLICY APPOINTMENTS President Bush announced December 2 the appointment of Dr. Zalmay Khalilzad as his Special Envoy and Ambassador at Large for Free Iraqis. As Special Envoy, Dr. Khalilzad will serve as the focal point for contacts and coordination among Free Iraqis for the United States Government and for preparations for a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said in a statement. "Dr. Khalilzad will continue as the Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan to ensure that the United States' commitment to working in partnership with the Afghan Government remains firm and resolute. "Dr. Khalilzad also serves as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Southwest Asia, Near East and North African Affairs, National Security Council. Dr. Khalilzad will relinquish this position so as to devote full time to Afghanistan, Free Iraqis, and outreach to the Muslim community. Dr. Khalilzad will continue to serve as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for these matters," the press secretary's statement said. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice announced December 2 the appointment of Elliott Abrams as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Near East and North African Affairs, including Arab/Israel relations and U.S. efforts to promote peace and security in the region. "Mr. Abrams has served since June 2001 as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Democracy, Human Rights and International Operations. He was a member and then Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom from 1999 to 2001, and President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center from 1996 to 2001. Mr. Abrams served as an Assistant Secretary of State during the Reagan Administration, from 1981 to 1989," the White House said in a statement. "Dr. Rice also announced today the appointment of Flynt Leverett as Senior Director for Middle East Initiatives at the National Security Council. In this role, he will have principal responsibility for Arab-Israeli issues in the NSC's directorate for Near East and North African Affairs, working under Elliott Abrams, who has been appointed to lead that directorate. Dr. Leverett, who holds a Ph.D. in politics from Princeton University, is on detail from the CIA, where he was a senior Middle East analyst. He joined the NSC in February, after serving on the State Department's Policy Planning staff, and has been acting Senior Director for Middle East Affairs since July," the White House said. (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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