02 April 2003
Bush Leaves War Decisions, Timing, Tactics to Military Commanders
("Tremendously proud" of team that rescued POW Jessica Lynch) (640)
By Wendy S. Ross
Washington File White House Correspondent
Washington -- President Bush, as commander in chief of U.S. military
forces, leaves "the decisions, the timing, the tactics" to his
commanders in the field, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer
told reporters April 2, in response to questions about who ordered the
rescue of U.S. prisoner of war (POW) Private Jessica Lynch.
"The president has said repeatedly the White House will not
micromanage the war. That is exactly why you have generals and
admirals and experts to guide the war and run the war in the way that
they believe is the best way to run it," Fleischer said.
Lynch was among several U.S. soldiers taken captive or killed on March
23 when their maintenance convoy was ambushed by Iraqi forces after
taking a wrong turn near Nasiriyah.
"Rescuing a POW is the heart and soul of America's military. That
shows how much they care about all of those who serve our country, to
make certain that no one is left behind," Fleischer said.
Fleischer said Bush's joy over the Lynch rescue "is tempered somewhat"
by the fact that other Americans continue as prisoners of war, others
are missing in action, and others have lost their lives.
Fleischer said Bush will travel April 3 to the Marine Corps' Camp
Lejeune in North Carolina, where he will "meet with some families
whose service men or women have lost their lives in Iraq. And that is
something the president thinks about. But he also keeps in mind the
purpose of the mission, the nature of the mission, the importance of
the mission," the press secretary said.
The president "will talk about the progress being made in the war, and
he continues to be pleased with the progress that is being made,"
Fleischer said. "But as was pointed out at the Pentagon today,
difficult days, difficult times very well may lie ahead. And so I
think, as much progress is being made, people have to be tempered,
calibrated to the reality of the situation on the ground and not go
too far in one direction or another. Events are as they are, and
progress is being made."
Asked about the formation of a post-Saddam Hussein government in Iraq,
Fleischer said the United States will "continue to work with all
parties about the leadership of Iraq.
"But I think that, again, as the president has made clear, the
leadership of Iraq will come from Iraqi people. There are those who
have lived and suffered under Saddam Hussein's regime that the
president thinks should have a very important role in the governance
of their own country. There are people who fled, have lived abroad,
who also should have an important say and role in the future of their
country.
"And we will continue to work with these groups on the exact
formulation of the best structure, the best form of government."
Asked how the Bush administration will define victory, Fleischer
repeated that the "mission in Iraq is about the disarmament of the
Iraqi regime. It is also about making certain that Saddam Hussein and
those around him are no longer in power so they can do this again to
the Iraqi people or to the world. Those are the two missions," he
said.
Fleischer also reported that Bush spoke April 2 with the amir of
Qatar, with the foreign minister of Kuwait, and with the president of
Spain.
And he announced that Bush will meet at the White House on April 23
with President Jorge Batlle of Uruguay. "This visit provides the
opportunity to deepen United States cooperation with Uruguay, a strong
ally in the war on terrorism and in promoting democracy and economic
growth in the hemisphere," Fleischer said.
(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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