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Here's a candidate:
Q Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, the past couple of days you have been talking about the consequences of the mixed
messages you say John Kerry sends. I want to ask you, sir, do you mean immediate consequences, not just if the senator is elected, do you mean that the messages being sent now have a negative effect on the effort in Iraq, and does making the war in Iraq a part of the campaign also have consequences on the situation there, sir?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, I think -- look, in a campaign, it's -- you know, the war of Iraq's going to be a part of the campaign. It's a -- this is a major moment in American history. These are historic times. And I view it as a great opportunity to help secure our country.
As I said before, Iraq is a central part of the war on terror, and I believe it's important for us to succeed there because of that.
See, 9/11 changed everything. September the 11th meant that we had to deal with a person like Saddam Hussein. Of course, I was hoping it could be done diplomatically, but diplomacy failed. And so the last resort of a president is to use force, and we did. And now we're -- we're helping the Iraqis.
The prime minister said something very interesting a while ago, and it's important for the American people to understand. Our strategy is to help the Iraqis help themselves. It's important that we train Iraqi troops. There are nearly 100,000 troops trained. The Afghan (sic) National Army is a part of the army. By the way, it was the Afghan (sic) National Army that went into Najaf and did the work there. There's a regular army being trained, there are border guards being trained, there are police being trained. That's a key part of our mission.
But, Wendell, I think the world watches America. We're an influential nation and everybody watches what we say. And I think it's very important for the American president to mean what he says. That's why I understand that the enemy could misread what I say; that's why I try to be as clearly as I can. I don't want them to be emboldened by any confusion or doubt. I don't want them to think that well, maybe all they got to do is attack and we'll shirk our duty. See, they've been emboldened before; they have caused certain nations to withdraw from coalitions as a result of their action, such action reinforcing the ability for suiciders, for example, to affect free societies. I know that; I've seen first-hand the tactics of these killers. And so therefore, I think it's very important for all of us involved in the process not to send mixed signals.
I don't know what the enemy thinks today, but I do know they're watching America very carefully. I do know they want to affect other nations by their acts of murder.
I do know they were emboldened when Spain withdrew from Iraq as the result of attacks on election, and therefore I have a duty to our troops for starters, most importantly, not to send a mixed signal. I want our troops to know that the sacrifices they are making are worthwhile and necessary for the security of this country.
And I want -- don't want the Iraqis to fear that, oh, all of a sudden there will be a change of heart, that there will be tough times politically, or that, you know, a poll might say something and therefore cause me to change my opinion. I don't want them to think that because they have to make the hard choices for freedom. They have to go from a society that has been tortured and -- by a brutal thug to a society in which they take responsibility for their daily lives.
I don't want the coalition forces to feel like we're wavering.
And so I understand that people watch our words, and that's an explanation of why I say what I say.
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