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Interview with Al Arabiya October 24, 2005

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Interview with Al Arabiya October 24, 2005 Administration of George W. Bush, 2005 / Oct. 24 1577 Through all these challenges, Chairman The President. Thank you all. Greenspan’s prudent judgment and wise policies have kept inflation low. He’s played NOTE: The President spoke at 1 p.m. in the Oval a major role in America’s strong economic Office at the White House. The transcript re- leased by the Office of the Press Secretary also growth. He has dominated his age like no included the remarks of Chairman-designate central banker in history. He has contributed Bernanke. to a better life for all Americans, and I thank him for his service. Ben Bernanke is the right man to build Interview With Al Arabiya on the record Alan Greenspan has estab- October 24, 2005 lished. Ben graduated from Harvard with top honors, earned a doctorate in economics Mehlis Report on Lebanese Assassination from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Q. Mr. President, thank you very much He’s built a record of excellence as both an for this interview. I much appreciate it. academic and policymaker. He is the author The President. Thank you. of several scholarly books and is one of the Q. Let me start after the—Mehlis report. most cited economists in the world. As Fed You described the report as deeply dis- Governor, Ben advocated greater trans- turbing. Does the United States, your admin- parency in communication with the public istration, support imposing sanctions on and markets. His speeches were widely ad- Syria? mired for their keen insight and clear, simple The President. Here’s what we support. language. We support that the world take this report Ben’s career has also been distinguished very seriously, that there were some very by leadership. He was chairman of Prince- strong implications in the report, that it be ton’s economics department, founding direc- fully aired, and that the United Nations start tor of Princeton’s Bendheim Center for Fi- to take action. Tomorrow there’s a meeting nance, and a founding editor of the Inter- of the perm reps, permanent representatives, national Journal of Central Banking. Since and I’ve instructed Secretary Rice to call June, he has served as Chairman of the upon the United Nations to host a foreign Council of Economic Advisers. ministers meeting as quickly as possible. Ben is also a kind and decent man who is held in high regard by all those who’ve Syria worked with him. He has the support of a Q. Are we heading into a confrontation strong and loving family. I’m pleased to see with Syria? that Ben’s wife, Anna, and his two children, The President. I certainly hope not. I Alyssa and Joel, are with us today. mean, I think one of the things that Syria I want to thank Ben for his willingness to has learned is that noncompliance with inter- serve in a position so important for world national demands will yield to isolation. Fif- markets and so vital to the well being of the teen fifty-nine was a very serious statement American people. I urge the Senate to act by the free world and the United Nations promptly to confirm Ben Bernanke as the to say to Syria, ‘‘Get out of Lebanon. Leave 14th Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Lebanon alone. Let the Lebanon democracy Ben, thanks for serving. flourish and function.’’ She saw—she, being Syria—saw that the world spoke in voice, one At this point, Chairman-designate Bernanke [ voice. made brief remarks. ] And nobody wants there to be a confronta- The President. Congratulations, sir. tion. On the other hand, there must be seri- Thank you, Ben. ous pressure applied so that the leader un- Chairman-designate Bernanke. Thank derstands that, one, they can’t house terrorist you. groups that will destroy the peace process The President. Mr. Chairman, thank you with Israel and Palestine, for example; two, for being here. I appreciate you. they should stop meddling in Lebanon; Chairman Greenspan. Thank you. three, that they should stop allowing transit VerDate Aug 31 2005 00:14 Nov 01, 2005 Jkt 208250 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P43OCT4.028 P43OCT4 1578 Oct. 24 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2005 of bombers and killers into Iraq that are kill- derail the peace process. It’s not fair to the ing people that want there to be a democ- people of Gaza. It’s not fair to the people racy. In other words, there are some clear of the West Bank. And so that is one clear demands by the world. And this Mehlis re- demand, that Syria must shut down these port, as I say, had serious implications for camps and not allow terrorists groups to have Syria, and the Syrian Government must take safe haven in Syria. the demands of the free world very seriously. We want the Lebanese democracy to France/Diplomacy flourish. And so Syria should not be—should no longer be involved in Lebanon. They re- Q. The French—as you know, the French moved their troops, like was told to them in Prime Minister wants to introduce a resolu- 1559, but it also was clear it said, ‘‘Get rid tion for Syria to cooperate with the investiga- of all your intelligence services and your op- tion. Would you support that? erations out of there.’’ And the Mehlis report The President. The French foreign min- implicates Syria’s involvement in the death ister—— of Mr. Hariri, who was a fine man. Q. They want to introduce a resolution in the United Nations, in the Security Council, And of course, one of the concerns I have basically calling on Syria to cooperate further and that other countries have as well is Syria in the investigation into the killing—— becoming a transit place for these killers that The President. Oh, I see. Sure. Well, lis- are going into Iraq and killing Muslims, kill- ten, we’re working very closely with the ing innocent women and children. And it’s French. We did on 1559, and there was a just—they got to understand there is a— clear message as a result of the cooperation there’s a worldwide concern about their fail- between the U.S. Government, the French, ure to act. and many other governments, and Condi Q. If they don’t cooperate, what would you Rice, who I spoke to today, is still in consulta- do? tions with the French to make sure we have The President. Well, I’m hoping that they a common message. will. They did on 1559 in terms of getting Q. I know you said before that you’re fo- their troops out. In other words, there’s a cusing on diplomatic options, but the military diplomatic—you’re trying to get me to say one is still on the table. Would you resort something—I’m going to use our military. It to that? is the last, very last option. And no Com- The President. Well, listen, nobody wants mander in Chief likes to commit the military, to use the military. A military is always the and I don’t. But on the other hand, you last choice of a President. I understand the know—and I’ve worked hard for diplomacy use of military, and I know how hard it can and will continue to work the diplomatic be. And I’m—any time anybody loses their angle on this issue. life in our military, I weep for the families. Q. We’ve seen similar models before. And I know innocent people can sometimes Some people talk about the Libyan model, be in harm’s way, so the military is always the last option. And this is a chance for the i.e. sanction, long term, and then the Libyans world to work together to achieve a diplo- will hand over the suspects—or the Iraqi matic solution. one—— And our diplomats, starting with Secretary The President. Well, I think each country Rice, are working very hard to come up with is different. Saddam Hussein had, gosh, a lot a common position to make it clear to Syria of resolutions out of the United Nations. Year that there are clear and understandable de- after year after year after year, the United mands. And I’ve just listed some of them ear- Nations said, ‘‘Do this,’’ and he never com- lier. Listen, as you know, you and I have plied. And so it’s—he was—diplomacy wasn’t worked together, and you’ve seen the emer- working. And my attitude is, let’s give diplo- gence of a potential Palestinian state that I macy a chance to work. Obviously, we’d like strongly embrace, but we must not allow ter- to resolve any issue in a peaceful way. And rorists to operate out of Syria. That would that’s the main goal of the United States. VerDate Aug 31 2005 00:14 Nov 01, 2005 Jkt 208250 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 E:\PRESDOCS\P43OCT4.028 P43OCT4 Administration of George W. Bush, 2005 / Oct. 24 1579 China and Russia place? Is Baghdad safe enough for Saddam Q. Obviously, you have the French and to be tried there? the British on board, but what about the Chi- The President. I think it is, yes, I do. I nese and the Russians? Who will support— mean, listen, it’s safe enough to have an elec- will you get their support? tion nationwide, where these killers were say- The President. Well, that’s an interesting ing, ‘‘We’ll kill you if you vote,’’ and a lot question.
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