11 April 2003
'The Regime Is Gone', 'Pockets of Resistance' Remain
(White House Report, April 11: Iraq developments, NATO expansion) (870) "The (Saddam) regime is gone," White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters in his early morning briefing April 11. "That represents a great turning point for the people of Iraq," he said, but cautioned, "there still are Ba'ath party officials who maintain some loyalty to what is left of the regime. There are still dangers ahead." Fleischer pointed out that a fight was concurrently underway in western Iraq along the border with Syria. Bush's April 12 radio address, which was recorded April 11, would offer more details about the current situation in Iraq, said Fleischer. BUSH CONFIDENT IRAQI PEOPLE WILL FIND CIVILITY AND SECURITY In response to massive looting now going on in many Iraqi cities and the lack of peacekeeping authority in Iraq, Fleischer said "I think what you're seeing is, on the way to freedom, the reaction of people to oppression. It doesn't excuse it, it doesn't condone it, but we have seen it before with the collapse of other totalitarian regimes." He named specifically Sierra Leone and the Soviet Union as past examples. "Nobody likes to see any amount of looting, but on the other level, this was a horrific brutal regime that maimed and tortured...." "The president has high confidence that on the way to freedom the Iraqi people will find civility and security and we will be there to help them do it," said Fleischer. RESTORING ORDER IN IRAQ In his afternoon press briefing, Fleischer said recent events during the liberation of Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, may be indicative of what will happen in Baghdad. "As the military has said, they have military civil affairs units that are moving into place. Security is an important issue. Law and order is an important issue. The president knows it will be addressed," he said. "It may take some time in a larger city like Baghdad," he said, "but there's no question, in the president's judgment, that what's happening is people are finding liberation, are finding freedom. Order will increasingly be restored," he said. On other topics from Fleischer's afternoon press briefing: -- The president telephoned Philippine President Arroyo April 12, discussing Iraq, the war on terror, and her pending state visit. Bush also telephoned Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi and discussed the progress of the war in Iraq. -- The president believes, on principle, that Turkey should be admitted to the European Union, Fleischer said, and nothing has changed that. -- Concerning the Iraqi oil ministry and the continuation of the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program, Fleischer said that over time institutions will emerge to take on the "civil duties" of the Iraqi people, but that this will take time. "As we're already seeing in several cities ... people have already emerged to start running affairs for themselves to the greatest degree possible -- with, of course, the United States military and the coalition being present," he said. -- The situation between Iraqi Kurds in northern Iraq and Turkey continues to be "an issue to be managed," Fleischer said. He also said any interim Iraqi authority will include Kurds, Shiites, Sunnis and others. -- The White House plays no part in awarding contracts to non-American firms, Fleischer said. "These are decisions that are made by the contracting agencies in accordance with their regulations and [U.S.] laws," he said. -- The president's visit to Canada in a few weeks will be made in the context of broader relationships and broader issues than the war in Iraq, Fleischer said. Common friendship is another factor, he said. -- Concerning Iraqi officials who may have already escaped into Syria, Fleischer assured that any action taken to apprehend them would be done legally. -- Concerning a London Financial Times article April 12 that claimed that U.S. Marines were so jittery that they had fired on unarmed civilians, killing women and children, Fleischer said the president "has high confidence that our armed forces are doing everything they can to protect innocent civilian life as they protect themselves." -- One way that nations that traded extensively with Iraq could contribute to the country's reconstruction would be debt relief, "if they so chose," Fleischer said. SENATE TO VOTE ON NATO TREATY, WOULD ADD SEVEN NEW DEMOCRACIES President Bush April 10 sent a treaty to the U.S. Senate for ratification that would expand the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to include Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The proposal was opened for signature in Brussels on March 26, 2003, and signed that day on behalf of the United States and the other parties to the North Atlantic Treaty. In the document he sent to the Senate, the president said "The end of communism and the consolidation of freedom and democracy in Central and Eastern Europe have been among the great developments of human history. NATO played a vital role in defending freedom and promoting this peaceful change for over 50 years. I am pleased that, with the advice and consent of the Senate, these new democracies can soon join us as members of this great Alliance." (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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