“MR. McCLELLAN: We have
essentially been saying the same thing for quite a while now.
Q
That it's going to get worse.
MR.
McCLELLAN: Well, I didn't describe it in those terms. I described it that there
are difficulties that remain, that there are people that will -- there are
terrorists who are desperate and they will continue to try to target the
progress we are making. And the more progress we make, the more desperate they
tend to become.
Now,
keep in mind that most of
And
we will also continue to work with the Iraqi people to improve our intelligence
gathering and act on that intelligence. And we also work to continue
accelerating our efforts to increase the involvement of Iraqis in their own
security. That's what we are doing. They're are very -- there are more and more
Iraqis involved in the police forces and the border patrol in the protection of
their critical infrastructure and in their civilian defense forces. And so that
number is now -- I believe now some 100,000 Iraqis who are involved in those
efforts. They have --
Q --
is different than things getting worse. Does he not agree with that prediction?
MR.
McCLELLAN: I think that -- as we have said, the more progress we make, the more
desperate these killers become. They are remnants of the former regime, they're
the Baathists, and foreign terrorists. They're also criminals that are in the
country, as well. And they seek to spread fear and chaos. And the Baathists are
no longer in power, and so they are becoming more and more desperate.
Q --
to go after these insurgents more? We saw bombing raids in Tikrit and they
caught these -- there are reports that they caught the people responsible for
the bombing at the Rashid. Was that a decision that sort of went to the
President to, sort of, you know, seemingly increase the kind of punishment for
these people if they try to mount these attacks?
MR.
McCLELLAN: Well, the President is in close contact on a regular basis with his
military leaders, including those in the region. I think that the decisions on
individual strikes are ones that are carried out by military leaders in the
region based on needs on the -- their assessment on the ground. And I think
that specific military action, you need to talk to our central command leaders
in the region.
Q
Scott, has the President read McCain's interesting speech last week arguing
that we needed more troops and needed to configure them differently? And, if
so, is he either disgusted with McCain or addressed --
MR.
McCLELLAN: No, not all. I think that if you look back at his remarks that --
Q
I'm sorry, his remarks --
Nov. 14, 2003 – At a White House press
briefing, Scott McClellan faces some natural questions about what the administration
plans for the future of Iraq and about how Saddam Hussein has become a seeming
afterthought:
“MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, I
think that that work is still underway by David Kay and his team. If you look
back at what has already been learned, we know that Saddam Hussein's regime was
in breach of U.N. resolutions. And the last U.N. resolution that was passed
gave him a final opportunity to comply. He clearly was not complying. He was in
material breach of that resolution, and a number of other resolutions.
And
the action that the President took was to make American more secure and make
the world a safer and better place, and it is with his regime being removed.
But it's important to let David Kay continue to do his work. He has said that
they still have work to complete, and we look forward to seeing the final
report. But make no mistake that he was in material breach. And the United
Nations Security Council resolution called for serious consequences, and the
President followed through on that.
Go
ahead, April.
Q
What are your comments on critics saying that the White House is just being
vague -- you were vague early this morning, President Bush was just vague in
the Oval Office -- about a definition that ends this engagement in Iraq?
They're saying part of the reasons why you're doing this is to keep
expectations low for the American public so they don't expect you to find
Saddam Hussein before this is "ended"?
MR.
McCLELLAN: We will find Saddam Hussein. Let me remind you that he has been
removed from power. He no longer can create these mass graves or carry out his
tortures and his torture chambers or these rape rooms that he had. And the
Iraqi people are better off with him being removed from power.
In
terms of where he is, I mean, right now, he's out there in a survival mode. And
we will find him and we will bring him to justice.
Q
Why won't you put Saddam Hussein in that definition of peace and a free
democratic
MR.
McCLELLAN: Well, one, that -- you brought up what the goal is. The goal is a
free, peaceful and sovereign
But,
look, you're asking me to predict things down the road in terms of sovereignty,
in terms of Saddam Hussein. We're going to continue on the issues, and as they
move forward on the institutions for democracy in Iraq, including a
constitution and including elections, we're going to continue to consult
closely with the Governing Council and work with them on all these issues about
how -- you know, troop deployments and things like that.
Q Is
he part of the equation?
MR.
McCLELLAN: The President has made it very clear that we will find him and we
will bring him to justice.
Same day (about) – The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers posts pre-solicitation notices for seven major contracts worth up to
$12.7 billion, for work in the power, public works and communications sectors
in Iraq. Two of the contracts, with a value of up to $1.5 billion, will be
awarded for reconstruction of security and justice facilities for the Iraq
National Defense Force.
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