Text of * News Conference

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4757474,00.html

Text of Bush's News Conference

Wednesday January 26, 2005 5:01 PM


By The Associated Press

A text of President Bush's news conference on Wednesday, as transcribed by eMediaMillWorks, Inc.:

BUSH: Good morning.

With a second term under way and a new Congress at work, we're moving forward on great goals for our country. In my inaugural address, I renewed this nation's commitment to expanding liberty at home and promoting liberty abroad.

Because our own freedom is enhanced by the expansion of freedom in other nations, I set out the long-term goal of ending tyranny in our world. This will require the commitment of generations. But we're seeing much progress in our own time.

In late 2004, the people of Afghanistan defied the threats of terrorists and went to the polls to choose their leaders. The Palestinian people have elected a president who has renounced violence. This week, Ukraine inaugurated a new president, President Yushchenko. And just four days from now, the people of Iraq will vote in free national elections.

Terrorists in that country have declared war against democracy itself and thereby declared war against the Iraqi people themselves. Yet the elections will go forward.

Millions of Iraqi voters will show their bravery, their love of country and their desire to live in freedom.

Across the world, freedom has deadly enemies. Yet across the world freedom has great and growing momentum.

And there have been enormous sacrifices made by some of our citizens in the spread of freedom. Families suffer as a result of the loss of a loved one.

Continue to offer condolences and prayers for those who do suffer. We will honor the memories of their loved ones by completing our missions.

Next week, I will report to Congress on the state of the union and describe in more detail a legislative agenda to serve the goals I have outlined.

I'll ask the House and Senate to act soon on the issue of Social Security so that we don't pass a bankrupt system on to our children and our grandchildren.

I'm open to good ideas from members of Congress. I'll work with both parties to get results.

Any solution must confront the problem fully and directly by making the system permanently solvent and providing the option of personal accounts.

For this new term, I've assembled an exceptional Cabinet and several members are taking office this week. In addition to speedy action on all my nominees, I especially urge the Senate to confirm Condoleezza Rice today and to promptly act and confirm Judge Al Gonzalez.

We have a full agenda. I'm looking forward to the work ahead and now I'm looking forward to answering some of your questions.

Q: Mr. President, the insurgents in Iraq are threatening to kill anyone who comes out to vote on Sunday. Do you think they'll succeed in killing or scaring away enough people so that the elections will be rendered seriously flawed or not credible?

BUSH: We anticipate a lot of Iraqis will vote.

Clearly, there are some who are intimidated. Surveys show that the vast majority of people do want to participate in democracy. And some are feeling intimidated.

I urge all people to vote. I urge people to defy these terrorists.

These terrorists do not have the best interests of the Iraqi people in mind. They have no positive agenda. They have no clear view of a better future. They're afraid of a free society.

I am impressed by the bravery of the Iraqi citizens.

I am heartened by the strong words of Prime Minister Allawi. I talked to him yesterday on the phone. He is determined to lead his country forward into the elections.

I appreciate the hard work of the United Nations, which is providing good leadership on the ground. And I anticipate a grand moment in Iraqi history.

BUSH: And if we'd have been having this discussion a couple of years ago and I just stood up in front of you and said the Iraqi people would be voting, you would look at me like some of you still look at me, with a, kind of, blank expression.

People are voting. And this is a part of a process to write a constitution and elect a permanent assembly. And it's exciting times for the Iraqi people.

Q: What would be a credible turnout number?

BUSH: The fact that they're voting in itself is successful.

Again, this is a long process. It is a process that will begin to write a constitution and then elect a permanent assembly.

BUSH: And this process will take place over this next year.

It is a grand moment for those who believe in freedom.

Q: Your inaugural address has been interpreted as a new aggressive posture against certain countries, in particular, Iran. Should we view it that way?

BUSH: My inaugural address reflected the policies of the past four years that said - that we're implementing in Afghanistan and Iraq. And it talked about a way forward.

I think America is at its best when it leads toward an ideal. And certainly a world without tyranny is an ideal world.

The spread of freedom is important for future generations of Americans. I firmly believe that free societies are peaceful societies. And I believe every person desires to be free.

And so I look forward to leading the world in that direction for the next four years.

Q: (inaudible) a policy shift?

BUSH: No. As I said, it reflects the policy of the past, but it sets a bold new goal for the future. And I believe this country is best when it heads toward an ideal world, we are at our best.

And in doing so, we're reflecting universal values and universal ideas that honor each man and woman, that recognize human rights and human dignity depends upon human liberty.

And it's - I'm looking forward to the challenge. And I'm looking forward to reaching out to our friends and allies to convince them the necessity to continue to work together to help liberate people.

Q: Mr. President, let me take you up on that if I may.

Last month in Jordan, a gentleman named Ali Hattar was arrested after delivering a lecture called Why We Boycott America. He was charged under Section 191 of their penal code for slander of government officials. He stood up for democracy, you might say.

And I wonder if here and now you will specifically condemn this abuse of human rights by a key American ally.

And if you won't, sir, then what, in a practical sense, do your fine words mean?

BUSH: I am unaware of the case. You've asked me to comment on something that I didn't know took place.

I urge my friend, His Majesty, to make sure that democracy continues to advance in Jordan.

I noticed today that he put forth a reform that will help more people participate in future governments of Jordan. I appreciate His Majesty's understanding of the need for democracy to advance in the greater Middle East.

We visited with him at the G-8 and he has been a strong advocate of the advance of freedom and democracy.

Let me finish.

Obviously we're discussing a process. As I said in my speech, not every nation is going to immediately adopt America's vision of democracy and I fully understand that.

BUSH: But we expect nations to adopt the values inherent in a democracy, which is human rights and human dignity, that every person matters and every person ought to have a voice. And His Majesty is making progress toward that goal.

I can't speak specifically to the case. You're asking me to speak about a case and I don't know the facts.

Q: Will you then - does your inaugural address mean that, when it comes to people like Mr. Hattar, you won't compromise because of a U.S. ally, and you will stand ...

BUSH: Again, I don't know the facts. You're asking me to comment on something. I don't know the facts.

Perhaps you are accurate in your description of the facts, but I have not seen those facts.

Now, nevertheless, we have spoken out in the past and will continue to speak out for human rights and human dignity, and the right for people to express themselves in the public square.

Q: Mr. President, in the debate over Dr. Rice's confirmation, Democrats came right out and accused you and the administration of lying in the run up to the war in Iraq. Republicans, in some cases, conceive it that mistakes have been made.

Now that the election is over, are you willing to conceive that any mistakes were made? And how do you feel about that?

BUSH: Let me talk about Dr. Rice. You asked about her confirmation.

Dr. Rice is an honorable, fine public servant who needs to be confirmed. She will be a great secretary of state.

And Dr. Rice and I look forward to moving forward. We look forward to working to make sure the Iraqis have got a democracy. We look forward to continue to make sure Afghanistan is as secure as possible from potential Taliban resurgents. We look forward to spreading freedom around the world. And she is going to make a wonderful secretary of state.

Q: No reaction to the lying?

No reaction?

BUSH: Is that your question? The answer's no.

BUSH: Next.

Q: Sir, I'd like to ask you about the deficit.

But before I do that, there is a developing story this morning, the helicopter crash in Iraq. Can you tell us what you know about that and what may have caused that and your reaction to it?

BUSH: I know that it is being investigated by the Defense Department.

And, obviously, any time we lose life it is a sad moment.

Q: You don't know whether it was weather-related or...

BUSH: Not yet.

I've heard rumors, but - wait till the facts.

Q: You're preparing to ask Congress for an additional $80 billion in war spending in Afghanistan and in Iraq. The White House is also prepared to predict a budget deficit of $427 billion for this year.

You talk about sacrifice in this country. Do you think that you're really asking Americans to sacrifice financially when you're asking them to fund the war, yet at the same time perhaps pay an exorbitant amount to set up private accounts and Social Security, pay for a prescription drug benefit, as well as other spending plans?

BUSH: So the...

Q: And tax cuts? Make those permanent? It's a lot of money.

BUSH: OK, let me see if I can dissect your question into separate parts.

First, Americans pay a lot of taxes. They pay tax at the federal level. They pay tax at the state level. They pay tax at the local level. Americans do pay taxes.

Secondly, I made the commitment to our troops, we'll fund them. And that's exactly what we're doing. We've got people in harm's way. I look forward to working with Congress to fund what is necessary to help those troops complete their mission.

Thirdly, we have presented a plan in the past and will present one here later on this - in February, that will show - cut the deficit in half.

BUSH: And it's obviously going to require cooperation with the United States Congress to make some very difficult decisions when it comes to funding the budgets.

Fourthly, we not only were attacked and therefore needed to defend ourselves, we also had a recession. And I felt it was very important to reduce the tax burden on the American people to get out of the recession. In other words, we were dealing with twin problems.

And because of the tax relief, our economy is growing forward. Last year at this time, the projected budget was $527 billion. You might remember that. It turned out that the budget was $412 billion for last year.

Now, the budget is projected to be at $427 billion.

BUSH: We look forward to working to hold the line with the United States Congress on spending. And as I say, I'll promote a package that will show the budget being cut in half over the next five years.

Q: Mr. President, I want to try another way to ask you about Iraq.

When you made the decision to go to war in Iraq, you clearly had majority support in the country. A string of recent polls have shown a clear majority of the American people now believe it was a mistake to go to war in Iraq.

You've asked for $80 billion in more money on top of the billions already spent. The Army says it will probably have 100,000 or more troops in Iraq for at least another year.

What would you say to the American people, including a significant number who supported you at the beginning of the war, who now say, this is not what we were led to believe would happen.

BUSH: A couple of things. I'd say the world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power. A world with Saddam Hussein in power would've been a more dangerous world today.

Secondly, that we're making progress in helping Iraq develop a democracy. And in the long term, our children and grandchildren will benefit from a free Iraq.

In terms of troop levels, obviously we're going to have to the troop levels necessary to complete the mission.