Mr. President, do you want the first question?
PRESIDENT BUSH: I have to?
PRIME MINISTER AHERN: Yes. (Laughter.) We rotate them.
PRESIDENT BUSH: I didn't ask for an answer, I just thought, do I have to? (Laughter.)
AP.
Q Mr. President, today's statement talks about shared commitments in Iraq and support for training Iraqi security forces. Does that mean that NATO is going to shoulder a larger military role in Iraq, and that the bitter differences over the war are over?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Let me start with the latter half of that question. I think the bitter differences of the war are over. I think people -- some people didn't agree with the decision that I made, and others made, as well, but we all agree that a democratic Iraq, a peaceful Iraq, an Iraq which is -- has its territorial integrity intact is in the benefit of the -- is in all our benefit. And so there is a common interest and a common goal to work together to help the Iraqi people realize the benefits of a free society.
President Allawi has written a letter to NATO asking for training and equipment. And I hope NATO responds in a positive way, because the ultimate success inside of Iraq is going to depend upon the ability of the Iraqi citizens to defend themselves.
We'll be turning over full sovereignty on June the 30th. That means complete, full sovereignty. The Iraqi government will now make the decisions that are necessary to rebuild their country and to -- and to get to free elections. They have asked for our help, but they fully recognize what I've just described as necessary, that they have to have their forces, their police well-trained and well-prepared to meet the threat of the few who want to derail the ambitions of the many.
Q Do you think NATO will --
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, we'll find out tomorrow. That's why I'm traveling to Turkey today -- (laughter) -- to be
Q Mr. President --
PRESIDENT BUSH: Which President?
Q Number 43. (Laughter.) Mr. President, your predecessor, Number 42, has, I understand, described Northern Ireland as the passion of his presidency. Where does it sit on your list of priorities? And do you regard it as a model for the resolution of conflicts like the Middle East? Thank you.
PRESIDENT BUSH: That's a great question. I do view it as a model for resolution of conflict, whether it be in the Middle East or elsewhere. And we view this issue as a very important issue in my administration, and stand ready to help. There's a special envoy from our government that is participating in the process. I have constantly asked the Prime Minister today whether or not the envoy is doing his job the way the Prime Minister thinks he ought to be doing his job, and the answer has been, yes.
I'm fully aware that the Prime Minister of both Great Britain and Ireland are going to advance the process this early September. And we stand ready to help. I wish them all the best. Because when this conflict is resolved, it will be an example for others that long-simmering disputes can be put behind them and free societies, and peaceful societies, can emerge, for the interest of the peoples which have been involved in those disputes.
Steve. Go ahead and yell it out. If I don't like the question I'll -- (laughter.)
Q Thank you. Should America see the June 30th handover as the beginning of an exit strategy from Iraq? And how big a threat is Zarqawi to the new government?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes, well, Zarqawi has been a threat to lot of people. He was such a threat that he was the person that ordered the killing of Mr. Foley, who worked for the USAID -- he was an American citizen working for our government, worked for Colin Powell. Zarqawi ordered him to be killed. He had been in and out of Baghdad, by the way. This is prior to the liberation of Iraq.
He is a problem because he's willing to kill people, innocent people, in order to shake our will and shake our confidence. In other words, he's willing to use death to stop the advance of freedom. He recruits suiciders, orders suiciders, and has them attack on a regular basis. Because he wants us to withdraw from Iraq, he wants Prime Minister Allawi to lose his will. He wants him to quit and surrender.
I spoke to the Prime Minister the other day; I believe he is a man of courage and backbone, and a man who does believe in the aspirations of the Iraqi people. I believe he is one of the key ingredients in making sure that we move toward a free society.
In terms of exit strategies, listen, Steve, we will work to stand up an Iraqi security force and police force that is able to function, to work up a chain of command where the Iraqi police and security folks know that they're working for Iraqis, not for Americans. And we will stay as long as necessary, and then we will leave. We will complete the mission. And the faster the Iraqis take over their own security needs, the faster the mission will end.
PRIME MINISTER AHERN: Charlie.
Q Taoiseach, the President has said that the bitter differences over the war are over. This morning, President McAleese paid a courtesy call on President Bush. She expressed certain disquiet on behalf of the people of Ireland over some of the differences of what's happened in Iraq. Did you echo those sentiments? And if I could also put the same question to the President, how did he respond to what President McAleese had to say?
PRIME MINISTER AHERN: And the answer is, I did, Charlie -- and not on the first occasion. When I had the opportunity of meeting the President on St. Patrick's Day, as he kindly does every year for us, we raised these issues. We discussed these issues at the G8 meeting. How prisoners have been dealt with in some of the -- in one of the prisons, what has happened in the
-- from Afghanistan in Guantanamo, that that's been an issue. The President has answered those. The President is concerned about his own troops and some of the issues that happened as much -- as much as I am, or anybody else in this country, and we've discussed that issue.
And I think it is a great thing that -- where we have such good relationships with the United States, where we have so much cooperation, where today we can clear eight declarations, but still, we are all interested in progress, we're all interested in human rights and the dignity of the person, that we can raise these issues. That is a good thing, as far as I'm concerned. The President has given us comprehensive answers, which I think both the Tanaiste and Minister Cowen and myself were very glad to hear his perspective on this, and want to admire it, because these things, unfortunately, happened. Of course, we wish they didn't, but they do. And what's important then is how they're dealt with, how things improve for the future. And the questions were answered to -- as far as we were concerned, to our satisfaction, and the progress for the future of what the President is doing is also impressive.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Of course, the Prime Minister brought the issues of Iraq up, as did the President. And I told them both I was sick with what happened inside that prison. And so was -- so were the American citizens. The action of those troops did not reflect what we think. And it did harm. It did harm, because there are people in Ireland and elsewhere that said, this isn't the America we know, this isn't the America that we believe exists. And both leaders, of course, brought the issue up, and they should. And I assured them that we'll deal with this in a transparent way -- which stands in stark contrast to how a tyrant would deal with it. Had these abuses -- well, these abuses did take place in Iraq prior to our arrival. There were rape rooms, mass graves. I don't remember any international investigation of what took place in Iraq. You'll -- we are investigating, and you'll be able to see exactly what takes place, and you'll be able to see the legal process that unfolds.
And in terms of the decision to go to war, I can understand why people were disquieted about that. Nobody likes war. But remember -- let me take a step back and remind you about what happened: There was that resolution out of the United Nations called 1441, it was voted on unanimously, where the world said, disclose, disarm, or face serious consequences. That's what the world said. And Saddam Hussein deceived. He didn't allow the inspectors to do their job. And so we had an issue -- either you say something and mean it, or you don't. I happen to believe when you say something you better mean it. And so with other nations, we acted.
And now the task is to see to it that Iraq becomes a free country, where people are able to realize their dreams. Free countries are peaceful countries. And the best way to defeat terror as a tool to promote a sick ideology is to promote freedom around the world. And that's one of the key initiatives that we discussed today, which is the initiative to promote democracy and stand with the reformers of the broader Middle East.
Hutch.
Q Thank you. Mr. President, you don't appear to be a very popular fellow here in Europe. Do you have any explanation for your poor poll standings? And is that something that should concern Americans?
PRESIDENT BUSH:
Well, Hutch, I must confess that the first polls I worry about are those that are going to take place in early November of this year. I -- listen, I care about the image of our country. We've got a country that we've just got two-and-a-half trillion dollars worth of trade, or $2.2 trillion worth of trade with the EU. Obviously, something positive is happening.
I don't like it when the values of our country are -- are misunderstood because of the actions of some people overseas. As far as my own personal standing goes, Hutch, my job is to do my job.
I'm going to do it the way I think is necessary. I'm going to set a vision, I will lead, and we'll just let the chips fall where they may. Romano. You look like a nice fellow, I don't know why they don't call on you. (Laughter.)
Q Taoiseach, could I ask you to confirm that the Portugese Prime Minister Barrosa has emerged as the likely successor to Mr. Prodi, and if you'll be proposing his name next Tuesday night as you're meeting with the foreign ministers?
PRIME MINISTER AHERN: When I -- when I go back to Dublin this evening, I have to talk to still about half of my colleagues, which I hope to do that between about 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. tonight. I also have to talk to Jose Manuel Barrosa, the present Prime Minister of Portugal. But we do hope, sincerely hope, that I would be in a position to both have the meeting and to make a recommendation and get a positive decision on Tuesday evening.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Thanks, Taoiseach. We've got to go to Turkey.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/06/20040626-16.html
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