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Skriven 2005-04-01 23:33:44 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0504012) for Fri, 2005 Apr 1
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Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 1, 2005

Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
The James S. Brady Briefing Room

Press Briefing
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1:07 P.M. EST

MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon. I'd like to begin with a comment on the
Pope. The President and Mrs. Bush join people all around the world who are
praying for the Holy Father. The outpouring of love and concern from so
many, including millions of Americans, is a testimony to his greatness.
During this time, His Holiness is in the thoughts and prayers of us all.

And with that, I will be glad to take your questions.

Q Have you gotten any later update? You said earlier that Andy Card updated
the President this morning, anything since then?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, the President has been updated on the most recent
statement from the Vatican.

Q By?

MR. McCLELLAN: I briefed him in the Oval Office on it, that was shortly
after noon.

Q What you're telling him, is that what you see on television or do you
have other sources of information, are you getting from the embassy or what
kind of information do you have?

MR. McCLELLAN: We do have an embassy to the Holy See and our embassy is in
close contact with the Vatican, and they remain in contact with the Vatican
at this time.

Q Does the President think -- I wasn't here for the briefing yesterday,
unfortunately. Does the President think that the CIA analysts misled him in
going to war?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you need to read the report from the
Robb-Silberman Commission. This was a bipartisan commission that was
appointed by the President, and it came to a number of conclusions in that
report. And it talked about what went wrong with the intelligence relating
to Iraq. And that report would be a good place to look; and it spells out
the conclusions.

Q Was he upset that he was misled?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again -- and I don't think that's the words that the
members of the commission used in their report. They talked about a culture
within the intelligence community that had not changed and adapted to meet
the threats that we face today; there are many new dangerous threats that
we face. And the --

Q Is that what motivated him to go into Iraq?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, let me -- the organization structure of our
intelligence community was such that it was aimed at the Cold War; it was
organized and structured to confront the threat from the former Soviet
Union and it has not fully transformed itself. We have taken a number of
steps since September 11th and since the September 11th Commission came out
with its recommendations to transform our intelligence community and to
make sure that we have the best possible intelligence. The President is
committed to moving forward quickly on the recommendations in this report,
as well. That's why --

Q That's not the point of my question. My question is, is he upset that he
moved aggressively against Iraq on the basis of information that was false?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Helen, we've been through this question a number of
times before. I don't think the report changed what we have previously said
on this matter.

Q It has not changed it at all? He's not --

Q Scott, can you tell us how the President plans to pay tribute to the
Pope, should he pass in the coming days? Will we hear from the President,
personally, and does he plan to attend a funeral?

MR. McCLELLAN: Jessica, I think this is a time of prayer; this is not a
time to get into issues of that nature.

Norah, you had something?

Q Well, past Presidents have not attended funerals of the Pope. Why would
this President want to go?

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, Norah, it's not an appropriate time to get into those
issues. This is a time for all of us to join in prayer for His Holiness.

Q How has the President indicated that he wants to proceed when the Pope
passes?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think I just answered your question.

Q Can I ask you then, what he -- in terms of, for this afternoon in the
Oval Office, has he watched any of the coverage that's been on television,
has he been personally monitoring -- I mean, we know he's been receiving
the updates from Card --

MR. McCLELLAN: He is following up the developments closely, and he has been
kept up to date. He is now back in the Oval Office, and participating in a
meeting on another subject.

Go ahead, Goyal.

Q Scott, Pakistan's Ambassador to the U.S., Mr. Karamat, told The
Washington Times that his country will not honor the U.S. request to get
directly or interview A.Q. Khan, where or which rogue nations he supplied,
or his network, nuclear components. And, also, he received number of
letters that there will be arms race in South Asia if this arms supply
continue. If President was under any pressure to supply these armed F-16,
or he made his own -- the decision was on his own, or any -- under pressure
from somewhere?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, the decision was made based on what we briefed you all
on last Friday, I believe it was. The State Department had a briefing to
talk about the decision and the President spoke with Prime Minister Singh
to inform him of the decision, as well. This is something we have been
discussing for quite some time, and we continue to work closely with both
India and Pakistan, and will as we move forward.

Q And A.Q. Khan?

MR. McCLELLAN: What was your question? I didn't hear a question.

Q Ambassador of Pakistan to the U.S. told The Washington Times that his
country will not give access to the CIA or the U.S. to interview A.Q. Khan
which rogue nations he supplied, what kind of nuclear components --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Pakistan has been a good partner in the global war on
terrorism, and they've been a good partner in working with international
community to address proliferation issues.

And, in fact, we were talking about the report here earlier today that came
out by the bipartisan commission, and they talked about some of the solid
successes within the intelligence community. One of those successes was our
efforts to break up and shut down the A.Q. Khan network. That network was
one of the -- was the world's most dangerous proliferation network, and
that was a great success. And we're continuing to work closely with
Pakistan and learn more information about that network.

Go ahead, Connie.

Q Thank you. The President joined Mrs. Bush this morning in an event. So
far, can you see any impact on Mrs. Bush's campaign to curb gang violence?
And how are you going to go about it, especially since most gangs are
formed of illegal immigrants --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Mrs. Bush's effort is much broader than just gang
violence. Her effort is aimed at promoting positive youth development. It
is aimed at helping America's at-risk youth. And this is an important
priority for the President, it's one of Mrs. Bush's top issues, and it's
something that we will continue to work to address. She has been speaking
around the country and we have a number of different programs. The
President talked about a number of those initiatives earlier today. The
mentoring children of prisoners is one of the initiatives that is important
to this effort. And addressing gang violence is also one part of helping
America's youth and really changing our culture.

And there are a number of parts to this initiative, but Mrs. Bush really is
committed to reaching out particularly young boys who often lack the kind
of adult supervision and mentoring that is so needed. And she will continue
to speak out about the importance of positive youth development.

Q President Yushchenko of the Ukraine said yesterday that the missiles
delivered to Iran were stolen. If that's the case, isn't there, and
shouldn't there be world pressure on Iran to return stolen missiles, which
the President of the Ukraine says is the case?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think the government of Ukraine is investigating
those issues and they are acting in a responsible manner. And so that's
something that they have been working to address. I don't know that --

Q Well, they said unequivocally they were stolen. And so that means Iran is
not in possession of stolen missiles. Is there any response from the State
Department or the President?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, in terms of the issue of missiles to Iran and
elsewhere that may have come from Ukraine, like I said, that's a matter
that I understand has been under investigation by the government of
Ukraine, and we appreciate the steps that they are taking to address it. In
terms of our concerns about Iran, they are many, and we have expressed
those views. Those concerns remain. Iran is acting in a number of ways that
causes us great concern. They are a country that has been out of step with
some of the recent developments in the region.

Q What's behind the increasing involvement of the First Lady in political
affairs -- her trip to Afghanistan, this effort the President gave her in
his State of the Union address. Has she come to him and said she wants to
be more involved? Has he decided that she's a resource he needs to use more
in his second term?

MR. McCLELLAN: She has a great passion for the issues that you brought up.
She is someone who comes from a background in education, having been a
teacher and a librarian. She cares deeply about the education and
development of young people. She has made education a top priority
throughout her life and her career. This is something that she personally
has a deep passion for.

And in terms of Afghanistan, this is an effort to help advance the rights
of women in Afghanistan and to help build an education system that will
provide opportunity for all the people in Afghanistan, for men and women.
And that's why she is focused so strongly on those areas.

Q You're going to completely ignore the basis of the question, though, that
she is certainly more active in the second term than she was in the first?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I think -- I think she was very active in the first
term, Wendell. She is someone who has made these issues a priority
throughout her life. And I think the way you characterized your question, I
would take some exception to that, because these are not new issues to Mrs.
Bush. These are issues that she has cared about throughout her life. And we
welcome her involvement in all those areas.

Q I was not suggesting that she was not active in the first. We are seeing,
however, a much higher profile First Lady in the second term, it seems.

MR. McCLELLAN: She's a tremendous asset, and the President knows that. And
he appreciates all that she is doing to help our young people and to
improve education in America.

Go ahead.

Q Thank you. There is a new Rand report that says the United States was not
prepared for the war's aftermath in Iraq, and that during the war,
intelligence and tactics were flawed. Is anybody going to be fired as a
result of this report?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, first of all, I think that that's a report that was
requested by the Department of Defense. I'm not sure that we have actually
seen that report. You might want to direct questions about it specifically
to the Pentagon. But in a time of war, you have to be prepared for the
unexpected. And you have to be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances
on the ground. And we have worked to adapt to the circumstances on the
ground to accomplish the important mission we are working to achieve.

Q The point is that they weren't prepared.

MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead.

Q Scott, can you tell us, looking at Monday, the visit of the Ukrainian
President, is the President -- President Bush going to be offering any kind
of economic gestures or political support to uphold Ukraine at all? I'm
thinking --

MR. McCLELLAN: A couple of things. One, you're going to hear from the two
leaders after they've had an opportunity to meet. They will have a press
availability, and I expect they will have more to say after that.

But let me back up and say that the President was pleased to meet President
Yushchenko at the NATO Summit in Brussels recently. They had a very good
discussion there. The President looks forward to welcoming President
Yushchenko to the White House. His election was a landmark event in the
history of liberty. And the Orange Revolution was inspiring to all who
yearn to be free. So the President looks forward to talking with President
Yushchenko about a range of issues. Ukraine is a strategic partner of the
United States, in our view. And, yes, I suspect that they'll talk about the
importance of supporting the advance of freedom and democracy in Eastern
Europe and the broader Middle East region. And I expect they'll talk about
our cooperative efforts on counter proliferation, as well.

But we appreciate President Yushchenko's strong commitment to democratic
reform. And we support his efforts to build a more prosperous, just and
free Ukraine. And I suspect they will talk about those issues, and then
have more to say on Monday.

Q What about endorsement of Ukraine into the WTO, for example, or into
NATO?

MR. McCLELLAN: Again, let's let the meeting take place. But as I said, we
strongly support the efforts by President Yushchenko to build a Ukraine
that is more prosperous, more free and more just. He is someone who has
shown a commitment to strengthening the rule of law and fighting
corruption, and someone who has committed himself to accelerating economic
reforms, as well. And those are important steps.

Q Would NATO be --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, as I said, we view Ukraine as a strategic partner.

Q And WTO would --

MR. McCLELLAN: And, certainly, President Yushchenko has been a strong
partner in the war on terrorism, as well.

Q Can I ask briefly about next week, as well? Parkersburg, the visit to the
Bureau of the Public Debt. The President said on a number of occasions the
trust fund -- the Social Security trust fund doesn't exist. I gather this
is a way of saying, well, it does, but it's really only on paper?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we might want to wait and talk a little bit more about
it Monday. But I think that's one of the points the President will
emphasize. That is one of the problems with the Social Security system,
because of the way it's been set up as a pay-as-you-go system. Many people,
I think, think that their money is being set aside and held in an account
somewhere, and it's not. The government is holding IOUs, but they're not
setting aside their money. And the benefit of personal accounts is that
that will be your money, you will own it, you will control it, it will be
yours to pass on to your heirs, as well. And that's one of the important
elements of the President's plan to strengthen Social Security.

Q Is he going to say anything there about how Social Security, in its
current pay-as-you-go form, actually helps keep the debt down?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, let's get a little bit closer to the day, and
then we can talk more about it at that point. I think it's still a few days
out before the President has finalized exactly what he wants to say on that
day. But you've heard him talk about these issues already, and certainly
he's continuing to go across the country to talk about the importance of
acting now to strengthen Social Security. It is a problem that only gets
worse with time. It is on an unsustainable course, and we need to fix it
now.

Q Thank you, Scott. It is reported that North Korea has proposed a
disarmament talk, instead of the six-party talks. Has the United States
government officially received any such proposal from North Korea?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we hear a lot of things from North Korea. What North
Korea needs to do is come back to the six-party talks and discuss how we
can move forward on the proposal that we put forward at the last round of
talks. That proposal addresses the concerns of all parties. It is the way
forward.

The first thing that North Korea needs to do is make a strategic decision
to completely abandon its nuclear weapons ambition. All parties in the
region are saying we need a nuclear-free peninsula. It's time for North
Korea to come back to the talks so we can move forward on the proposal we
have outlined. That is a proposal that we believe addresses concerns of all
parties, and it's the way forward.

Q They changed it to a disarmament talk with United States -- bilateral
talks.

MR. McCLELLAN: And what they need to do is come back to the six-party
framework so we can talk about how to move forward on the proposal we have
outlined.

Q Last night, the Security Council of the United Nations decided to hand
over the dossier of Darfur and possible war crimes there to the
International Criminal Court in Hague. And the U.S. didn't prevent that to
happen. Does that mean that you see the International Criminal Court now in
a more positive light?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, I mean, in terms of our view of the International
Criminal Court has not changed, nor has our view that those who were
responsible for atrocities in Darfur need to be held accountable. We
strongly support holding individuals who are responsible for the atrocities
that have taken place accountable for their actions.

And we have worked very closely with other members of the Security Council
on these efforts. There are three resolutions that we've moved forward on.
One was the peacekeeping operation to enforce the north-south agreement.
The other was to move forward on sanctions to hold people responsible for
the violence -- the continued violence in the region, as well. And then
this one that passed last night.

And the reason we didn't stand in the way of that resolution was for two
reasons. One, we believe strongly that people need to be held accountable
for the atrocities committed. Two, it provides protections for Americans in
that resolution. And that's why we do not stand in the way of that
resolution passing.

Q So you think that in that concrete case, the International Criminal Court
can play a positive role?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?

Q Does that mean that in your view, the International Criminal Court --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, it's important --

Q -- can play a positive role in this case of Darfur?

MR. McCLELLAN: It's important that those who are responsible for atrocities
be held accountable. We've made that very clear. We've expressed our
concerns about the International Criminal Court and how it could be used
for political prosecutions. That view remains the same. But this resolution
included some protections that addressed our concerns. And so that's why we
supported it.

Go ahead.

Q Back to the report on the botched WMD intelligence, have the massive
intelligence failures documented in the report caused the President to
rethink his policy of preventive war?

MR. McCLELLAN: You know, September 11th taught us a very important lesson,
and that lesson was that we must confront threats before it is too late. If
we had known of those attacks ahead of time, we would have moved heaven and
earth to prevent them from happening.

This President will not hesitate when it comes to protecting the American
people. And in the post-September 11th world that we live in, the
consequences of underestimating the threat we face is too high. It's tens
of -- possibly tens of thousands of lives.

Q What about the cost of overestimating?

MR. McCLELLAN: Are you talking about the Iraq situation?

Q Going into Iraq, yes, with bad intelligence.

MR. McCLELLAN: I think we've talked about this before. The world is safer
with Saddam Hussein's regime removed from power. The Iraqi people are
serving as an example to the rest of the Middle East through their courage
and determination to build a free future.

Q The ones that are alive, you mean?

MR. McCLELLAN: We looked the other way in the Middle East for too long and
allowed for authoritarian regimes to operate in the hopes that we would
have peace and stability. We got neither. And that's why the President
believes that the war on terrorism that we're involved in now must be a
comprehensive effort. We must go after and bring to justice those who seek
to do us harm, and we must work to advance the spread of freedom and
democracy for our long-term peace and security. And that's what we will
continue to do.

Q Scott, Medicare Administrator Mark McClellan has said that next year
Medicare --

MR. McCLELLAN: I know that guy. (Laughter.)

Q -- will start paying doctors 4 percent less and charge seniors 14 percent
more. And as soon as the prescription drug benefit kicks in, that gap will
even -- will deepen. What steps is the President taking to reform the
Medicare system?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think, first of all, in terms of some of the costs
issues related there, I think that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid
Services is continuing to work to address those issues and look at some of
the reasons behind that.

But the President strongly supported and advocated the Medicare
Modernization Act because it expanded benefits for seniors and provided
them prescription drug coverage. So starting in 2006 -- low-income seniors
have already started to realize some benefits, but starting in 2006, you're
going to see better and expanded benefits for seniors, ones that they have
previously not had, like prescription drug coverage under Medicare. And
you're going to see a health care system that provides better care for our
seniors and gives them more choices. This was -- the reforms that we passed
will help provide our seniors better health care and more options and
better benefits to choose from.

Q And what about paying for it?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?

Q What is the President doing to ensure that the system can pay for these
increased benefits?

MR. McCLELLAN: The CMS is working to implement the reforms now, and these
reforms will help reduce costs for America's seniors -- that's what's
important -- while providing them better quality of care. And that's why
the reforms that we passed are so important. And the Center for Medicare
and Medicaid Service is working to put those reforms into place, so that
seniors will have prescription drug coverage, so that they will be able to
have the kind of care that they need, that will prevent more costly
surgeries from being needed in the first place.

The President has often talked about that Medicare would pay for the heart
surgery, but it wouldn't pay for the prescription drugs that could prevent
that heart surgery from being needed in the first place. So that will bring
costs down, when we implement these reforms. And you have to look at it in
that context. But they're getting more benefits, they're getting
prescription drug coverage, and they're getting better quality of care
under the reforms that we passed and are in the process of implementing.

Q Thank you.

MR. McCLELLAN: Thank you. Have a good weekend.

END 1:30 P.M. EST
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