Press asks McClellan "any idea how long a last throe lasts for?"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/06/20050616-5.html

Q When you talk about the President having a sharper focus on Iraq, at the same time that a lot of public opinion polls are showing greater concern among citizens and worries about what's happening there, and some lawmakers calling for a more specific exit strategy, when you say, sharper focus, what specifically should we expect to hear from you?

MR. McCLELLAN: Sure. Well, the President is going to spend -- well, let me back up and talk about it, and then you can follow up with any specific questions you have. The President is going to spend more time focusing, in his public appearances, on the two big priorities that are on the minds of the American people. Those are winning the war on terrorism, of which Iraq is central, and economic security, making sure that we have lasting prosperity.

When it comes to Iraq, the President looks forward next week to meeting with Prime Minister Jaafari, who will be here in Washington. He was the elected --- first elected leader of Iraq in some 50 years. He was chosen when the 8.5 million Iraqis showed up at the polls and said, we're going to defy the terrorists. So the President recognizes that the war on terrorism, Iraq specifically, and the economy, are two top concerns on the minds of the American people. They are two top priorities for the President.

And we are also coming up on some important milestones and events in Iraq. One, on June 28th, that's going to mark the one-year anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqi people. And in that one-year period, there has been significant progress on the political front. And, two, the interim government -- interim elected government is moving forward on drafting a constitution on the timetable of August 15th, which was set out in the transitional administrative law.

So that's where the President will be focusing on, those two priorities. I didn't get into length about economic security. You were asking specifically about Iraq. People are concerned about the situation in Iraq. There are scores of troops that we have in harm's way, and there are many families here at home that want to see those troops come home and come home soon. We want to, too. The President wants to see the troops come home soon. But the best way to honor the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform is to complete the mission.

Iraq is critical to winning the war on terrorism. It is critical to our long-term security here at home. A free Iraq will help transform a dangerous region of the world. A free Iraq will send a signal to the rest of the Middle East, those who -- the people in the Middle East who are standing up for freedom. And so the President will be talking about this. He will be continuing to update the American people about the progress that we are making, the difficulties and dangers that remain, and the strategy we have for succeeding. And that means training Iraqi security forces so that they're able to defend themselves and so that our troops can return with the honor that they deserve.

The stakes are very high in Iraq. I think no matter where you stood on the decision to go to war, that most Americans can agree that succeeding in Iraq is critical to our safety and security. It would be absolutely the wrong message to send to set some sort of artificial timetable. It would be the wrong message to send to the terrorists; it would be the wrong message to send to the Iraqi people; and it would be the wrong message to send to our troops. Our troops understand the importance of completing the mission. They understand the importance of the work that they are doing. And it's important that we continue to stand with the Iraqi people who have stood up and said, we're going to defy the terrorists by showing that we want democracy and freedom. It's important to stand with our troops who are serving and sacrificing for an important cause. And it's important to make clear to the terrorists that they are going to be defeated. This is going to be a major blow to their ambitions. This is going to

Q In completing the mission, would the President give any further definition as to what that would look like in a measurable way that people could anticipate what the progress would be? Absent a timetable, is there some other way that he would further define that?

MR. McCLELLAN: Sure, I mean, you've had updates from Secretary Rumsfeld and Vice-Chairman, soon to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff earlier this week talking about the training and equipping of Iraqi security forces. That's one of the issues he'll be talking about with Prime Minister Jaafari. That is critical to our strategy, is training and equipping those Iraqi security forces. And we have some, I think, some 160,000 that are now trained and equipped. They're at various levels of training, and I think that the Department of Defense has spoken about that.

But it's also -- it's important to point out that there are still challenges ahead, there are still dangers ahead, because the terrorists recognize how high these stakes are. You have a determined enemy that is willing to strap suicide bombs onto themselves and cause mass damage and kill innocent civilians. That's the kind of enemy that we're facing. These are terrorists. These are nothing but terrorists. And they recognize the stakes that are involved in Iraq. That's why it's so critical that we succeed.

Q Scott, when you talk about narrowing the focus to the war on terror and economic security, that encompasses terrorism on a global scale, encompasses Iraq, as you said; and the economic security side you're talking about energy, gas prices, retirement security, health care security. How is that narrowing the focus, and how is it any different from what you've been doing for the past four months?

MR. McCLELLAN: Actually I said that he's going to be spending a lot of time of that focus on Iraq, because Iraq is the central front in the war on terrorism. And it's what I spelled out to you all earlier today when we visited, and I laid out some of the schedule coming up, and how he would be talking and focusing on Iraq and the situation there.

Q He's been doing that for the last four months.

MR. McCLELLAN: And in terms of -- in terms of the economy -- well, there are a number of important priorities that we're focused on and that we're working on. But in the coming days and weeks, he's going to really focus on those two big priorities. Those are two big concerns to the American people, and we're going to focus even more so -- like I said, it's sharpening our focus on those two priorities.

Q But, I mean, on the economic security, I don't understand how it's sharpening the focus if you talk about energy and retirement security and health care and tax cuts and gas prices -- it seems like what you've been talking about.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, maybe you don't. I think the American people understand, because the American people, they recognize that our economy is growing, that it's strong. We've seen 3.5 million jobs created since May of 2003. That's the last -- 24 straight months of job creation and job growth. Home ownership is at an all-time highs. More Americans are working than ever before. Inflation and interest rates are low. So there's a lot of good progress we're making, but there is more we need to do to keep our economy growing stronger.

And the American people have concerns. They have concerns about high gas prices. Those high gas prices have a very harmful effect on families and small businesses that are trying to work to make ends meet. And they have concerns about the changing economy that we're living in. They have concerns about their own retirement security and if their retirement funds are going to be there when they retire. So those are all important parts of economic security. So I think the American people understand and are concerned about these issues. And that's why the President is going to be spending more time focusing on these issues in his public appearances.

Q Scott, is the insurgency in Iraq in its last throes?

MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, you have a desperate group of terrorists in Iraq that are doing everything they can to try to derail the transition to democracy. The Iraqi people have made it clear that they want a free and democratic and peaceful future. And that's why we're doing everything we can, along with other countries, to support the Iraqi people as they move forward. The fact that they are making great progress on the political front is significant because that helps defeat the terrorists, because the terrorists don't want to see democracy take hold. They don't want lasting democratic institutions to be put in place. And that's why we are standing with the Iraqi people as they move forward on the political front.

We're also standing with the Iraqi people as they move forward on -- to address the security situation. We are working side by side with Iraqi forces now to defeat those terrorists and regime elements who want to derail the transition to democracy. And every day we move forward on democracy and training Iraqi security forces is every day closer that we are to succeeding in Iraq.

Q But the insurgency is in its last throes?

MR. McCLELLAN: The Vice President talked about that the other day -- you have a desperate group of terrorists who recognize how high the stakes are in Iraq. A free Iraq will be a significant blow to their ambitions.

Q But they're killing more Americans, they're killing more Iraqis. That's the last throes?

MR. McCLELLAN: Innocent -- I say innocent civilians. And it doesn't take a lot of people to cause mass damage when you're willing to strap a bomb onto yourself, get in a car and go and attack innocent civilians. That's the kind of people that we're dealing with. That's what I say when we're talking about a determined enemy.

Q Right. What is the evidence that the insurgency is in its last throes?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think I just explained to you the desperation of terrorists and their tactics.

Q What's the evidence on the ground that it's being extinguished?

MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, we're making great progress to defeat the terrorist and regime elements. You're seeing Iraqis now playing more of a role in addressing the security threats that they face. They're working side by side with our coalition forces. They're working on their own. There are a lot of special forces in Iraq that are taking the battle to the enemy in Iraq. And so this is a period when they are in a desperate mode.

Q Well, I'm just wondering what the metric is for measuring the defeat of the insurgency.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you can go back and look at the Vice President's remarks. I think he talked about it.

Q Yes. Is there any idea how long a last throe lasts for?

MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead, Steve.

Q These members of Congress have now introduced their resolution. What's your formal reaction to it?

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry, say that again.

Q These members of Congress have now introduced a resolution calling for a withdrawal by a date certain. What's your formal reaction --

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I think it's what I was talking about earlier. Let me make a couple of points. We all want our troops to return home soon. The best way to get our troops home and to honor them is to complete the mission in Iraq. That means continuing to train Iraqi forces so that they can take over all of the security of their own country and provide for their own defense. There are a lot of families here at home that want to see those troops come home. The President wants to see those troops come home. But it's important that we complete the mission because this is critical to winning the war on terrorism and defeating the terrorists.

Secondly, in terms of timetables, the President has often talked about timetables. Timetables simply send the wrong message. They send the wrong message to the terrorists, they send the wrong message to the Iraqi people, they send the wrong message to our troops who are serving admirably and working to complete an important mission.

The terrorists -- this message would say to the terrorists, all you have to do is wait until that day when our troops leave, and then you can start carrying out those attacks and just hold out. It's critical that we defeat the terrorists in Iraq. It would -- the Iraqi people have showed their determination to build a democratic and peaceful future. They have shown up in large numbers to vote for a free Iraq and to vote for a better future. And it's important that we stand with them as they work to build the institutions necessary for democracy and freedom to take hold.

A free Iraq is going to send a powerful message to a dangerous region of the world. Remember, this is a region where people came from that hijacked airplanes and flew them into buildings on September 11th. And we're fighting the enemy abroad so that we don't have to fight them here. This is about protecting the American people and ensuring our long-term security.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/06/20050616-5.html

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. Wha, wha, WHAT? Someone held his feet to the fire a little?!?

I am SHOCKED, I tell you! SHOCKED!!

[Coexist]

2. Apparently - 2 years.

They are always committing "desperate acts" because they are "close to being shut down".

get 'em press corps.

[brainshrub]

3. And there is a reporter who won't get her press-pass renewed.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. it was a he, actually...

I saw it, he was great. Kept going after twinkie for not answering the question, kept asking but McLellin moved on to another reporter.

[mike_c]

4. the emperor's new ensemble is absolutely stunning....

What an incredible exercise in delusional propaganda. I wonder whether he (McClellan) believes any of it. Is he a bald faced liar, or a delusional devotee of the devil?

[acmejack]

6. I admired how he got the opening and closing statements

to be almost identical! He is masterful at saying the same talking points in so many variations. The man is an ass.

[mainer]

7. Who asked the question? That's a great one!

And notice he was ignored.

[kath]

8. Terry Moran. WAY TO GO, TERRY!!