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your home. Through the last century and and British servicemembers are sacrificing into our own, Americans have appreciated in a necessary and noble cause. Once again, the friendship of your people. And we are we are acting to secure the peace of the grateful for your personal commitment world. across five decades to the health and vitality The bonds between our countries were of the alliance between our nations. formed in hard experience. We passed Of course, things didn’t start out too through great adversity together. We have well. [Laughter] Yet, even at America’s risen through great challenges together. founding, our nations shared a basic belief The mutual respect and fellowship between in human liberty. That conviction more our countries is deep and strong and per- than anything else led to our reconciliation. manent. And in time, our shared commitment to Let us raise our glasses to our common freedom became the basis of a great Atlan- ideals, to our enduring friendships, to the tic alliance that defeated tyranny in Europe preservation of our liberties, and to Her and saved the liberty of the world. Majesty, the Queen of the United Kingdom The story of liberty, the story of the of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Magna Carta and the Declaration of Inde- pendence, continues in our time. The NOTE: The President spoke at 8:49 p.m. in power of freedom has touched Asia and the Ballroom at Buckingham Palace. In his Latin America and Africa and beyond. And remarks, he referred to Prince Philip, Duke now our two countries are carrying out a of Edinburgh. The transcript released by the mission of freedom and democracy in Af- Office of the Press Secretary also included ghanistan and Iraq. Once again, America the remarks of Queen Elizabeth II. A tape and Britain are joined in the defense of was not available for verification of the con- our common values. Once again, American tent of these remarks.

The President’s News Conference With Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in London November 20, 2003

Prime Minister Blair. Good afternoon, Once again we’re reminded of the evil everyone. First of all, can I extend the these terrorists pose to innocent people ev- warmest possible welcome to the President erywhere and to our way of life. Once again of the United States and to the First Lady we must affirm that in the face of this to Downing Street and say how delighted terrorism there must be no holding back, I am to see them both here. no compromise, no hesitation in con- And as you would expect, I think, I fronting this menace, in attacking it wher- would like to say some words about the ever and whenever we can, and in defeat- latest terrorist outrage that has occurred ing it utterly. today in Turkey. First of all, I would wish It should not lessen, incidentally, in any to express my deepest sympathy and condo- way at all our commitment to Iraq. On lences to the families of the victims. Some the contrary, it shows how important it is will be British; many will be Turkish citi- to carry on until terrorism is defeated there zens. I would like to express my condo- as well, because it is in a free, democratic, lences also to the Government and to the and stable Iraq that not just the violence people of Turkey. but the wretched and backward philosophy

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of these terrorists will be defeated and de- In the course of the discussions that stroyed. President Bush and myself had yesterday Yesterday, as some of you will have and today, we also, of course, discussed heard, the President of the United States many other issues, and let me just run delivered a powerful, telling speech extol- through a few of those with you. There ling the virtues of freedom, justice, democ- will be two communiques put out after- racy, and the rule of law, not just for some wards, one on Iraq, one on the other issues people but for all the peoples of our world. we discussed, and I can just simply list Today the fanatics of terror showed them- them for you. selves to be callous, brutal murderers of Obviously, we discussed the situation in the innocent, and the contrast could not relation to the WTO and world trade and be more stark. the issues to do with steel, with which There may be some who think that Brit- we’re familiar. We agreed a special joint ain would gain from standing back from task force on the issue of HIV/AIDS in this struggle, even some who believe that relation to global health, a preoccupation we and the United States and our allies of both our Governments. We, of course, have somehow brought this upon ourselves. discussed the issues to do with weapons Let us be very clear: America did not attack of mass destruction and the threat that it Al Qaida on September the 11th; Al Qaida poses; the Middle East and the Middle attacked America and, in doing so, attacked East peace process. And since we have the not just America but the way of life of successive G–8 chairmanships in the next all people who believe in tolerance and couple of years, we also discussed how we freedom, justice and peace. might use those to make progress on all Say we issue for you, in the light of this these issues, including some of the chal- latest outrage, a short summary on the cas- lenging and difficult issues to do with cli- ualties and cost of terrorism. It’s quite in- mate change, world trade, and poverty. teresting to see just how many countries So, once again, Mr. President, welcome have been affected, what the cost of ter- here. It’s a very, very great pleasure and rorism is, how many thousands of people honor to have you here in our country, have died over this past period of time— and we’re delighted to see you. Thank you many of the victims, incidentally, Muslim for that magnificent speech yesterday. And people, not least the civilians murdered in it’s my pleasure to ask you to address this Iraq. simple gathering. So this is a time to show strength, deter- President Bush. Thank you, Mr. Prime mination, and complete resolve. This ter- Minister. It’s my honor to be standing by rorism is the 21st century threat. It is a the side of a friend. And Laura and I were war that strikes at the heart of all that so honored to be invited by Her Majesty we hold dear, and there is only one re- the Queen to come to the United Kingdom sponse that is possible or rational: to meet for this state visit. It’s been a fantastic expe- their will to inflict terror with a greater rience for us. will to defeat it; to confront their philos- I also want to express my deep sympathy ophy of hate with our own of tolerance for the loss of life in Turkey. The nature and freedom; and to challenge their desire of the terrorist enemy is evident once to frighten us, divide us, unnerve us, with again. We see their contempt—their utter an unshakable unity of purpose; to stand contempt—for innocent life. They hate side by side with the United States of freedom. They hate free nations. Today, America and with our other allies in the once again, we saw their ambitions of mur- world to rid our world of this evil once der. The cruelty is part of their strategy. and for all. The terrorists hope to intimidate. They

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hope to demoralize. They particularly want questions from U.S. journalists. Andy, you to intimidate and demoralize free nations. start us off. They’re not going to succeed. Timetable for Iraq Great Britain, America, and other free nations are united today in our grief and Q. Andy Marr from the BBC. Could I united in our determination to fight and ask both leaders about the agenda on Iraq? defeat this evil wherever it is found. Britain You are both engaged in an unpredictable and America have shared the suffering and dangerous war, as we’ve seen today. caused by terrorism before. On September And yet, you say you want to bring the the 11th, 2001, no country except America troops home starting from next year. Now, lost more lives than Britain. Since that day, how is that possible when the security situ- no ally has accomplished more or sacrificed ation is still so unresolved? You haven’t got more in our common struggle to end ter- Saddam Hussein. Aren’t you stuck in Iraq, ror, and we are grateful. with your enemies holding the exit door? Our shared work of democracy in Af- President Bush. I said that we’re going ghanistan and Iraq is essential to the defeat to bring our troops home starting next of global terrorism. The spread of freedom year? What I’ve said is that we’ll match and the hope it brings is the surest way the security needs with the number of in the long term to combat despair and troops necessary to secure Iraq. And we’re anger and resentment that feeds terror. relying upon our commanders on the The advance of freedom and hope in the ground to make those decisions. greater Middle East will better the lives Q. So you’ll keep a certain number of of millions of that region and increase the troops in Iraq for a longer time? security of our own people. President Bush. We could have less I’ve just come from a meeting with fami- troops in Iraq; we could have the same lies of British servicemen who were killed number of troops in Iraq; we could have in Iraq. These brave men died for the secu- more troops in Iraq, what is ever necessary rity of this country and in the cause of to secure Iraq. human freedom. Our nations honor their Prime Minister Blair. Let me make it sacrifice. I pray for the comfort of the fami- absolutely clear for our position as well. lies. We stay until the job gets done. And what Our mission in Iraq is noble and it is this latest terrorist outrage shows us is that necessary. No act of thugs or killers will this is a war; its main battleground is Iraq. change our resolve or alter their fate. A We have got to make sure we defeat these free Iraq will be free of them. We will terrorists, the former Saddam people in finish the job we have begun. Iraq, and we must do that because that Together, Great Britain and the United is an essential part of defeating this fanati- States met the defining challenges of the cism and extremism that is killing innocent last century. Together, we’re meeting new people all over our world today. challenges, challenges that have come to And I can assure you of one thing, that our generation. In all that lies ahead in when something like this happens today, the defense of freedom and the advance our response is not to flinch or give way of democracy, our two nations will continue or concede one inch. We stand absolutely to stand together. firm until this job is done—done in Iraq, I’m honored to be here, Mr. Prime Min- done elsewhere in the world. ister. I thank you for your leadership and President Bush. Andy, if I may have a your friendship. followup to—it’s kind of a new thing, a Prime Minister Blair. We’ll take three followup to the answer. One thing that’s questions from British journalists, three happening that you need to know that will

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help us make the necessary calculations for There wasn’t starvation that had been pre- troop levels is that there’s a lot of Iraqis dicted. In other words, the conditions on beginning to be trained to deal with the the ground were such that the Governing issue on the ground. There’s Iraqis being Council felt like they could move forward trained for an army. There’s Iraqis being in a constructive way, and we supported trained for an intelligence service. There’s that. Iraqis being trained for additional police Secondly, these terrorist attacks are at- work. There are Iraqis being trained for tacks on freedom, and they attack when asset protection. There are Iraqis being they can. And our job is to secure our trained for border guards. There’s over homelands and chase down these killers 130,000 Iraqis now who have been trained, and bring them to justice. And we’re mak- who are working for their own security. ing good progress with Al Qaida. And if So part of the answer to your question is you were to view Al Qaida’s organization how fast the new brigades of Iraqi army structure as kind of a board of directors are stood up, how effective they are. and then there would be the operating We believe that the Iraqi citizens want management, we are dismantling the oper- to be free. We know that they’re willing ating management, one person at a time. to work for their own freedom. And the We’re on an international manhunt. more people working for their own free- That’s why relations and cooperation be- dom, the more we can put that into our tween our intelligence services are essential calculations as to troop levels. to secure the people of our respective Thank you for letting me butt in there, countries. And I will tell you, the Prime again. Minister’s cooperation has just been unbe- Tom. lievably good, as has the intelligence service of Great Britain, a fine group of people, Terrorist Attacks/Transition Plan for Iraq by the way, people who are dedicating their Q. Tom Raum from the Associated Press. lives to the security of the people of this For both of you, Mr. President, Mr. Prime great country. And the more we share intel- Minister, do the attacks today, do you view ligence with other nations, the more likely them as a direct attack on the alliance? it is that we’ll be able to rout out these And does the fact that these attacks are terrorists. coming sort of with an increasing intensity That’s why the phone call I had with and randomness, does that make it less Prime Minister Erdogan was an important likely that you’ll be able to turn over sov- phone call, when I assured him we’re will- ereignty to an Iraqi council by June? ing to work with the Turkish Government, President Bush. Well, first of all, in Iraq, as are the Brits willing to work with the we’re working on two tracks. We’re working Turkish Government, to share information on a political track, and we believe that and to find these killers so they don’t kill the timetable that the Governing Council again. has set for itself is an accurate timetable. I don’t know the nature of the casualties And we’ll work with the Governing Council today, but I do know the nature of the to turn over sovereignty. casualties in the recent attack in Istanbul. It’s their decision, and we agreed with More Muslims died in that attack. These their decision, based upon the conditions are Al Qaida killers killing Muslims, and on the ground. And some of those condi- they need to be stopped, and we will stop tions were the fact that there wasn’t the them. sectarian violence that was predicted. Iraq Prime Minister Blair. See, here’s where remained intact. There wasn’t the mass of we got to—we’ve got to see what this strug- refugee flows that had been predicted. gle is about, because you can see it clearer

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and clearer day-by-day. This is a struggle of it. This is a real living alliance about between fanaticism and extremism on the the struggle going on today, in the early one hand and people who believe in free- 21st century. And if we don’t win this dom and in tolerance on the other. And struggle, it’s not just Britain and America these attacks have been building for years. that’s going to suffer. People everywhere They came to their height, okay, on Sep- are going to suffer, and that’s why it’s im- tember the 11th, but that actually wasn’t portant. the first attack that Al Qaida was perpe- If they think that when they go and kill trating against America and other countries. people by these terrorist attacks, they are And you look round the world today, and going to somehow weaken us or make us I tell you, in virtually every place there think, ‘‘Well, let’s shuffle to the back of is trouble and difficulty, these terrorists and the queue and hide away from this,’’ they fanatics are making it worse, whether it’s are wrong. That is not the tradition of my Kashmir, whether it’s Palestine, whether it’s country, and it’s not the tradition of the Chechnya, wherever it is. And they’re pre- British people or the American people. pared to kill anyone. They’re prepared to Adam [Adam Boulton, ]. shed any amount of bloodshed, because they know how important this battle is. British Detainees at Guantanamo Bay And here’s why Iraq is important in this; because in the end, their case, which is Q. What do you say to those people, based on dividing people—the Arab world both those who support what your two and the Western world, the Muslim world Governments have done since September and the Christian world and other reli- 11th and those who oppose it, that in fact gions—their case is that we are in Iraq the treatment of the captives in Guanta- to suppress Muslims, steal their oil, to spoil namo Bay actually belies all your talk of the country. Now, we know you know that freedom, justice, and tolerance? And on a all those things are lies. They know, there- specific point, in view of the comments fore, that if we manage to get Iraq on from the Secretary of State and from its feet as a stable, prosperous, democratic Charles Kennedy and Michael Howard, is country, the blow we strike is not just one there on the minority of British nationals for the Iraqi people; it is the end of that held captive an explicit offer from the propaganda. And that’s why they’re fighting United States to repatriate them? And if us. that depends on a request from you, Prime And when you say, is this attack today Minister, are you prepared to make it now? directed at our alliance? It’s directed at Prime Minister Blair. First of all, let me anybody who stands in the way of this fa- just deal with the very specific issue of naticism. And that’s why our response has the British nationals over in Guantanamo got to be to say to them, as clearly as Bay. We are in discussion about this. I’ve we possibly can, ‘‘You are not going to de- already said in the House of Commons it feat us because our will to defend what will be resolved in one of two ways. Either we believe in is actually, in the end, strong- they will be tried by the military commis- er, better, more determined than your will sion out there, or alternatively, they’ll be to inflict damage on innocent people.’’ brought back here. Now, we’re in discus- And that’s what this whole thing is about. sion at the moment—— That’s why when I hear people talking Q. How—— about the alliance between our two coun- Prime Minister Blair. It will be resolved tries, this is not an alliance that’s based at some point or other. It’s not going to on simply Britain and America and the ties be resolved today, but it will be resolved that go back in history and all the rest at some point soon.

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Let me just say this to you, however, a successful round for the—the Doha about Guantanamo Bay. Indeed, the people round of the WTO. that are there—again, let’s just remember, Secondly, free trade agreements require this arose out of the battle in Afghanistan, people honoring the agreements. And there that arose out of September the 11th and are market disruptions involved with certain the attack there. And the very fact that Chinese textiles; we’re addressing those dis- we are in discussion about making sure ruptions. And we look forward to visiting there are fair procedures for trial—or alter- with our Chinese counterparts on this par- natively, it’s up to us, as the President very ticular matter. And as I have been saying fairly has said, these people come back publicly, that free trade also requires a level here—is an indication that we actually treat playing field for trade. people differently. So even though this In terms of the steel issue, it’s an issue arose out of this appalling, brutal attack that the Prime Minister has brought up on America on September the 11th, none- not once, not twice, but three times. It’s theless, we make sure that justice is done on his mind. It’s also on my mind. And for people. I’m reviewing the findings about the re- President Bush. These are—justice is structuring of our steel industry, which is— being done. These are illegal noncombat- the ITC ruling basically said that the indus- ants picked up off of a battlefield, and they try needs some breathing time to restruc- are being treated in a humane fashion. And ture. I’m looking at the findings right now we are sorting through them on a case- and will make a timely decision. by-case basis. There is a court procedure But I will reiterate, we believe strongly in place that will allow them to be tried in free trade. We just want to make sure in fair fashion. As to the issue of the British that free trade is also trade in which all citizens, we’re working with the British parties are treated fairly. Government. Prime Minister Blair. Obviously, we’ve Randy [Randall Mikkelsen, Reuters]. stated opposition. I know the President is well aware of it, and as you just heard, Trade Policy/The Doha Round the administration will make its decision Q. Mr. President and Mr. Blair, how ac- in the coming period of time. curate would it be to conclude that the The other thing I would draw your atten- new China trade quotas, along with a weak- tion to is the joint belief in the importance ening dollar and your disagreement with of the WTO doing well and getting the the WTO on steel, altogether constitute a deadlock that there was at Cancun re- reelection strategy of boosting U.S. exports solved. That’s immensely important. at the expense of free trade principles? And never forget, incidentally—I said And Mr. Blair, I’d like to know how this in the House of Commons yesterday— these policies are affecting Europe and the whatever the disagreements on trade be- U.K. tween Europe and America—and ever Prime Minister Blair. Mr. President, you since I’ve been Prime Minister there have should answer that one first. [Laughter] been such disagreements on particular President Bush. My administration is issues—trade between Europe and America committed to free trade—the first adminis- is vast. In fact, I think it is right to say tration in a long time to achieve trade pro- it has doubled since 1989. It amounts to motion authority from the Congress. And a huge amount of money and jobs both we’re using that to promote free trade ways every single year. So that’s not to say agreements on a bilateral basis, on a hemi- we don’t have to resolve these issues, and spheric basis. And we’re strongly advocating I hope we can resolve them soon, but I

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don’t think we should forget the bigger pic- yesterday—listen to our case as well. I ture, either. mean, we listen. That’s what a democratic Nick. exchange should be about, but listen to the London Demonstrations/War on Terror case that we are making. Because there is something truly bizarre Q. Nick Robinson, ITV News. What do about a situation where we have driven the you say to people who today conclude that Taliban out of Government in Afghanistan, British people have died and been maimed who used to stop women going about the as a result of you appearing here today, street as they wished, who used to prevent shoulder-to-shoulder with a controversial girls going to school, who brutalized and American President? terrorized their population, there’s some- And Mr. President, if I could ask you, thing bizarre about having got rid of Sad- with thousands on the street—with thou- dam in Iraq from the Government of Iraq, sands marching on the streets today here when we’ve already discovered just so far in London, a free nation, what is your con- the remains of 400,000 people in mass clusion as to why apparently so many free graves—there is something bizarre about citizens fear you and even hate you? President Bush. I’d say freedom is beau- these situations happening and people say- tiful. It’s a fantastic thing to come to a ing that they disagree, when the effect of country where people are able to express us not doing this would be that the Taliban their views. was still in Afghanistan and Saddam was Q. Why do they hate you, Mr. President? still in charge of Iraq. And I think people Why do they hate you in such numbers? have got to accept that that is the con- President Bush. I don’t know that they sequence of the position therein. do. All I know is that it’s—that people in Now, as for your first point, just let me Baghdad, for example, weren’t allowed to say this. What has caused the terrorist at- do this up until recent history. They’re not tack today in Turkey is not the President spending a lot of time in North Korea pro- of the United States, is not the alliance testing the current leadership. Freedom is between America and Britain. What is re- a wonderful thing, and I respect that. I sponsible for that terrorist attack is ter- fully understand people don’t agree with rorism, are the terrorists. And our response war. But I hope they agree with peace and has got to be to unify in that situation, freedom and liberty. I hope they care deep- to put the responsibility squarely on those ly about the fact that when we find suf- who are killing and murdering innocent fering and torture and mass graves, we people, and to say, ‘‘We are going to defeat weep for the citizens that are being brutal- you, and we’re not going to back down ized by tyrants. or flinch at all from this struggle.’’ For all And finally, the Prime Minister and I the reasons I’ve given you earlier, this is have a solemn duty to protect our people, what this struggle is about. and that’s exactly what I intend to do as And when you look—as you can see from the President of the United States, protect the list of the people from 60 different the people of my country. nationalities who have died in terrorist at- Prime Minister Blair. To answer your tacks, thousands of people from every reli- first question and your other, indeed, peo- gion, every part of the world, you aren’t ple have the right to protest and to dem- going to stop these people by trying to onstrate in our countries, and I think that’s compromise with them, by hesitating in the part of our democracy. And all I say to face of this menace. It’s defeat them or people is—and this is the importance, I be defeated by them. That’s what we’re think, of the speech the President made going to do.

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Religion/Shared Values And the really important thing—and I Q. Thank you, Mr. President, Mr. Prime just wanted to say this about the President’s Minister. Mr. President, when you talk speech yesterday, because I hope—people about peace in the Middle East, you’ve sometimes say to me, ‘‘Well, you’ve got a often said that freedom is granted by the Republican President, a center-left Govern- Almighty. Some people who share your be- ment here in Britain, how can you two liefs don’t believe that Muslims worship the guys work together?’’ On this issue, I be- same Almighty. I wondered about your lieve people from whatever side of the po- views on that. litical spectrum they’re on can respond to the call, that in the end, the best security And Mr. Prime Minister, as a man also we can have is not just through our armed of faith, I’d like to get your reaction to forces and intelligence services, magnificent that. though they are, but actually through our President Bush. I do say that freedom values, through the spread of those values is the Almighty’s gift to every person. I of freedom and justice and tolerance also condition it by saying freedom is not throughout the world. America’s gift to the world. It’s much great- And the case the President made yester- er than that, of course. And I believe we day, I think, is a really powerful call, not worship the same God. just to people in our own countries but Prime Minister Blair. And I believe that to people right throughout the world, that if people are given the chance to have free- these are basic human values. They’re not dom, whatever part of the world they’re the—in the ownership exclusively of Amer- in, whatever religion they practice, what- ica or Britain or the West or any particular ever faith they have, if they’re given the religion; they’re human values. And actu- chance to have freedom, they welcome it. ally, every time you give people the chance And I think it is the most appalling delu- to have those values, they opt for them. sion that actually affects some people even Of course they do, because they’re the val- within our own societies that somehow, ues that sustain the human spirit. though we in our countries love freedom and would defend freedom, somehow other NOTE: The President’s news conference people in other parts of the world don’t began at 12:15 p.m. at the Foreign and Com- like it. monwealth Offices, . In And the reason why they like freedom his remarks, the President referred to Queen is because then, if you’ve got freedom and Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom; and democracy and the rule of law, you can Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of raise your family, you can earn a decent Turkey. Prime Minister Blair referred to standard of living, you can go about your former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. daily business without fear of the secret A reporter referred to Charles Kennedy, police or terrorism. And in those types of leader of the Liberal Democrats party of the societies, the terrorists who thrive on ha- United Kingdom; and Michael Howard, lead- tred and fanaticism, they get no breathing er of the Conservative Party of the United ground, they get no breathing space. Kingdom.

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