26 November 2001

Bush Warns Saddam Hussein to Permit International Inspectors Back In

by Wendy S. Ross
Washington File White House Correspondent

Washington - Iraq's Saddam Hussein will "find out" the consequences if he does not permit international inspectors back into Iraq in order to prove to the world that he's not developing weapons of mass destruction, President Bush says.

He made the comments November 26 in a question and answer session with reporters in the Rose Garden following an event to welcome home two American aid workers following three months of captivity by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Discussing the war on terrorism, Bush told reporters "Afghanistan is still just the beginning."

"If anybody harbors a terrorist, they're a terrorist. If they fund a terrorist, they're a terrorist. If they house terrorists, they're terrorists," the President said.

"If they develop weapons of mass destruction that will be used to terrorize nations, they will be held accountable. And as for Mr. Saddam Hussein, he needs to let inspectors back in his country, to show us that he is not developing weapons of mass destruction."

Bush, asked about North Korea, said, "Well, clearly, in terms of North Korea, we want North Korea to allow inspectors in, to determine whether or not they are," developing weapons of mass destruction.

"We've had that discussion with North Korea. I made it very clear to North Korea that in order for us to have relations with them, that we want to know, are they developing weapons of mass destruction? And they ought to stop proliferating.

"So part of the war on terror is to deny ... weapons to be used for means of terror getting in the hands of nations that will use them," Bush said.

Later in the day, besieged by reporters to clarify what the President had said earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said he had talked with the President about his comments, and they are a reiteration of longstanding U.S. foreign policy.

The President's remarks, Fleischer said, are "a reaffirmation, a restatement of a long-standing American policy, and I think it should be readily understood that every American President has spoken out strongly about Iraq or North Korea and any nation that would use nuclear weapons, especially those nations that are state sponsors of terrorism, regardless of whether September 11th took place or not. But Saddam Hussein can figure out the rest of it if he wants.

"So what you heard today in the Rose Garden about Iraq and North Korea is what you've heard from this president repeatedly for two years now, from the campaign forward, about the manner in which he would treat Iraq or North Korea, any nation that's a terrorist sponsor, state sponsor of terrorism if they were to use, as he put it, use nuclear weapons. There's a long body of quotes from the president prior to September 11th, very similar," Fleischer said.

During the presidential campaign, Fleischer reminded reporters, Bush "repeatedly referred to the issues of proliferation in North Korea. That's one of the reasons the President believes in a missile defense, because of the potential of North Korea to acquire weapons of mass destruction and potentially use them. And he has had similar words about Iraq."

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said "We all know what the requirements are that Iraq is under, and as the President said today, Iraq needs to let weapons inspectors back in if they're going to try to show that they are not developing weapons of mass destruction. So, it's quite clear what the international community expects of Iraq. It's quite clear what the President expects of Iraq, and we will keep that requirement in front of them.

"But I have not seen anything new from Iraq that would indicate that they are willing to try to reassure the international community in any way, or that they have changed their intentions of threatening their own people and threatening their neighbors."

"These have been long-standing concerns of the United States, long-standing concerns about weapons of mass destruction. As the President said, this has always been his position. In fact, if you look at the red lines that we've stated not only in this administration but prior to that, one of the lines, red lines for military action against Iraq, was always development of weapons of mass destruction."

In his Rose Garden remarks, Bush was also asked whether he was concerned with the amount of dissent over his decision to establish military tribunals to try suspected terrorists.

Bush responded that he was "not the least bit concerned. I made the right decision. A President must have the option of using a military tribunal in times of war. I look forward to explaining to my friend, the President of Spain, why I made that decision. It makes eminent sense to have the military tribunal option available. It makes sense for national security purposes, it makes sense for the protection of potential jurors. It makes sense for homeland security. It is the right decision to make, and I will explain that to any leader who asks."

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)