Administration of Barack Obama, 2009 / Apr. 21

Remarks Following a Meeting With King Abdullah II of and an Exchange With Reporters April 21, 2009

President Obama. Hello, everybody. Take cently, and I believe it was a meeting of the your time, guys. We’re going to answer a few minds. We are both committed to bringing questions. peace and stability to our part of the world. The First of all, I just want to welcome His Maj- President again reaffirming the need for a two- esty King Abdullah to the White House. This is state solution and to move both parties to good a first visit by a leader of an Arab state. In part, negotiations as quickly as possible. He has the it’s reciprocity for the extraordinary hospitality full support of my country and the Arab League that the King and Queen showed me when I on this issue. We believe that it is important for visited Jordan prior to the election, in which the all of us to keep our eyes on the prize, and the King personally drove me to the airport. And I prize is peace and stability, finally, for all the won’t tell you how fast he was going. [Laughter] people of our region. But more importantly, it’s representative of I’d also like to extend a warm thanks on be- his excellent leadership internationally as well half of many Arabs and Muslims that have really as a unmatched friendship with the United had an outstanding response to the President’s States on a whole range of issues. I think that outreach to the Muslim . It has gone King Abdullah represents a modern approach down extremely well and really begins, I be- to foreign policy making in the , a lieve, a new page of mutual respect and mutual approach that is able to see many different sides understanding between cultures. And I will of an issue, that is, obviously, constantly mindful continue to commit Jordan and myself to work- of Jordanian interests, but also seeks to resolve ing with you, Mr. President. You have given us issues and conflicts in a peaceful and respectful hope for a bright future for all of us. And Amer- fashion. ica can’t be left by itself to do all the heavy lift- We are very pleased to have been able to ing, so a group of countries, including Jordan, work so closely with his Government for many will do all it’s can—we can to support you, Mr. years. It is a great friendship between two great President, in your endeavors. And hopefully, countries and two great peoples. And I am con- under your tremendous leadership we will final- fident that that friendship will only be strength- ly see peace and stability in our region. ened. President Obama. Thank you. Very briefly, we spoke, obviously, about a Middle East peace process, my commitment as Middle East Peace Process well as his to moving that process forward with some sense of urgency. We spoke about the Q. Mr. President—— broader whole range of issues related to Iran President Obama. Yes. and Afghanistan, the issues of terrorism in the Q. Mr. President, you’ve raised a lot of posi- region. We spoke about the impact that the eco- tive signals and interest in your commitment to nomic crisis may be having on both our coun- peace and to a two-state solution. What other tries and the need to promote effective interna- actions will you be taking to bring about peace, tional cooperation around those issues. And I’m and when do you expect that action to happen? confident that in the months and years to come And how does the Arab Peace Initiative feature our partnership and our friendship will contin- in such a plan? ue to grow. So I’m grateful to him for having President Obama. Well, first of all, we have visited and look forward to seeing him back in gone out of our way to complement the efforts his own country sometime soon. of those Arab States that were involved in King Abdullah. Thank you. Mr. President, formulating the Arab Peace Initiative as a very again, thank you very much for this very kind constructive start. And obviously, King welcome. We had a wonderful meeting just re- Abdullah has taken great steps to ensure that

529 Apr. 21 / Administration of Barack Obama, 2009 that sustains itself, in terms of Arab support, President Obama. Well, sadly, the rhetoric even while we have seen a breakdown in is not new. This is the kind of rhetoric that negotiations. And that’s a significant we’ve come to expect from President Ahmadi- achievement for which King Abdullah and nejad. When I said, during the course of the others deserve credit. So we want to continue campaign and repeated after the election, that to encourage a commitment on the part of the we were serious about engagement with Iran, Arab States to the peace process. it was with no illusions. I was very clear that I I have assigned a special envoy, George found many of the statements that President Mitchell, who is, you know, I think, as good of Ahmadi-nejad made, particularly those direct- a negotiator as there is, and somebody who ed at Israel, to be appalling and objectionable. through assiduous work was able to accom- As I’ve also said before, Iran is a very com- plish or help achieve peace in Northern Ire- plicated country with a lot of different power land. We want that same perseverance and centers. The Supreme Leader, Khamenei, is sustained effort on this issue, and we’re going the person who exercises the most direct con- to be actively engaged. trol over the policies of the Islamic Republic, We have, obviously, seen the Israeli Gov- and we will continue to pursue the possibility ernment just form recently. Prime Minster of improved relations and a resolution to some Netanyahu will be visiting the United States. I of the critical issues in which there have been expect to have meetings with him. I’ve had dis- differences, particularly around the nuclear is- cussions with the Palestinian counterparts as sue. well as other Arab States around this issue. But there’s no doubt that the kind of rheto- My hope would be that over the next several ric you saw from Ahmadi-nejad is not helpful; months, that you start seeing gestures of good in fact, it is harmful, not just with respect to faith on all sides. I don’t want to get into the the possibility of U.S.-Iranian relations, but I details of what those gestures might be, but I think it actually undermines Iranians’ position think that the parties in the region probably in as the world as a whole. We weren’t at the have a pretty good recognition of what inter- conference, and what you saw was a whole mediate steps could be taken as confidence- host of other countries walking out and that building measures. And we will be doing ev- language being condoned by people who may erything we can to encourage those confi- be more sympathetic to the long-term aspira- dence-building measures to take place. tions of the Iranian people. So I think it actual- Q. Can I follow up on this one, please? ly hurts Iran’s position in the world. President Obama. Okay, the—I actually But we are going to continue to take an ap- have a list, guys. I’m sorry. [Laughter] We’ve proach that tough, direct diplomacy has to be got to be fair. Jennifer [Jennifer Loven, Asso- pursued without taking a whole host of other ciated Press], you always get a question, so options off the table. you’re not getting one today. Okay. Look, is there somebody you’d like to Steve Collinson, AFP [Agence France-Pres- call on? Go ahead. se]. Q. Mr. President. Middle East Peace Process President Obama. Go ahead, Steve. Q. I just want to follow on the previous Iran question. You sent Senator Mitchell to the re- gion to listen. Is he done with the listening Q. What are your—what is your comment now and—because all the signals we have on the rhetoric yesterday from the Iranian from the Israeli Government basically that President directed towards Israel? And given they are not in favor of the two-state solution. that kind of talk and the recent imprisonment The opposition is strongly advocating that. of the U.S.-Iranian journalist, do you think So I wanted to ask also His Majesty, Presi- that will make it more difficult for you to push dent Obama said that there is positive ele- forward your diplomatic outreach to Iran? ments within the Arab Peace Initiative, but he

530 Administration of Barack Obama, 2009 / Apr. 21 didn’t say what he disagree about. Can you tell the kind of conflict that we’ve seen for decades us if you have noticed any tangible results, what now, in which generations of Palestinian and Is- the disagreement with that, and can the Arab raeli children are growing up insecure, in an at- Peace Initiative be the base now for a peace mosphere of hate. And my hope is, is that the process in the Middle East? opportunity will be seized. But it’s going to take President Obama. Okay. Well, first of all, I some more work, and we are committed to do- think it is very important to recognize that the ing that work. Israelis now have had a government for a few King Abdullah. I couldn’t have said it better weeks, and it was a very complicated process for myself, Mr. President. I think we’re looking them to put a coalition together. So I think now at the positives and not the negatives and more listening needs to be done. They are going seeing how we can sequence events over the to have to formulate and, I think, solidify their next couple of months that allows Israelis and position. So George Mitchell will continue to and Israelis and Arabs to sit around listen both to Arab partners, to the Palestinians, the table and move this process forward. as well as the Israelis. President Obama. Good. Now, did I al- But I agree that we can’t talk forever, that at ready—are one of you Nadia [Nadia Bilbassy some point, steps have to be taken so that peo- Charters, MBC TV]? ple can see progress on the ground. And that Q. That was me. will be something that we will expect to take President Obama. That was you. Okay. Na- place in the coming months, and we will help, dia, I was going to call on you anyway. The—— hopefully, to drive a process where each side is Q. Mr. President—— willing to build confidence. President Obama. Jake [Jake Tapper, ABC I am a strong supporter of a two-state solu- News], you always get questions, so I’m going to tion. I have articulated that publically, and I will articulate that privately. And I think that there try somebody else. are a lot of Israelis who also believe in a two- Q. Mr. President—— state solution. Unfortunately, right now what President Obama. But I’d better give an we’ve seen, not just in Israel, but within the Pal- American—since—you know, so that we’re go- estinian Territories, among the Arab States, ing back and forth. And Sheryl [Sheryl Gay worldwide, is a profound cynicism about the Stolberg, New York Times], you always get in, possibility of any progress being made whatso- so—— ever. Q. I do not always—[laughter]—— What we want to do is to step back from the President Obama. I’m just trying to see if abyss, to say, as hard as it is, as difficult as it may there’s anybody unusual. All right, you know be, the prospect of peace still exists, but it’s go- what, I’ll go back to Jennifer then, since she had ing to require some hard choices, it’s going to her hand up before Sheryl or Jake. require resolution on the part of all the actors involved, and it’s going to require that we create Terrorist Interrogation Procedures/Legal Action some concrete steps that all parties can take that are evidence of that resolution. And the Q. I appreciate it. I want to ask you about the United States is going to deeply engage in this interrogation memos that you released last process to see if we can make progress. week—two questions. You were clear about not Now, ultimately, neither Jordan nor the wanting to prosecute those who carried out the United States can do this for the Israelis and the instructions under this legal advice. Can you be Palestinians. What we can do is create the con- that clear about those who devised the policy? ditions and the atmosphere and provide the And then quickly on a second matter, how do help and assistance that facilitates an agree- you feel about investigations, whether spe- ment. Ultimately, they’ve got to make a deci- cial—a special commission or something of that sion that it is not in the interests of either the nature on the Hill to go back and really look at Palestinian people or the Israelis to perpetuate the issue?

531 Apr. 21 / Administration of Barack Obama, 2009

The President. Well, the—look, as I said be- rather is being done in order to learn some les- fore, this has been a difficult chapter in our sons so that we move forward in an effective history and one of the tougher decisions that way. I’ve had to make as President. On the one And the last point I just want to emphasize, hand, we have very real enemies out there. as I said yesterday at the CIA when I visited, And we rely on some very courageous people, what makes America special in my view is not not just in our military but also in the Central just our wealth and the dynamism of our econ- Intelligence Agency, to help protect the Amer- omy and our extraordinary history and diversi- ican people. And they have to make some very ty. It’s that we are willing to uphold our ideals difficult decisions because, as I mentioned even when they’re hard. And sometimes we yesterday, they are confronted with an enemy make mistakes because that’s the nature of hu- that doesn’t have scruples, that isn’t con- man enterprise. But when we do make mis- strained by constitutions, aren’t constrained by takes, then we are willing to go back and cor- legal niceties. Having said that, the OLC rect those mistakes and keep our eye on those memos that were released reflected, in my ideals and values that have been passed on view, us losing our moral bearings. That’s why generation to generation. I’ve discontinued those enhanced interroga- And that is what has to continue to guide us tion programs. as we move forward. And I’m confident that For those who carried out some of these op- we will be able to move forward, protect the erations within the four corners of legal opin- American people effectively, and live up to our ions or guidance that had been provided from values and ideals. And that’s not a matter of the White House, I do not think it’s appropri- being naive about how dangerous this world is. ate for them to be prosecuted. With respect to As I said yesterday to some of the CIA officials those who formulated those legal decisions, I that I met with, I wake up every day thinking would say that that is going to be more of a de- about how to keep the American people safe, cision for the Attorney General, within the pa- and I go to bed every night worrying about rameters of various laws, and I don’t want to keeping the American people safe. prejudge that. I think that there are a host of I’ve got a lot of other things on my plate. very complicated issues involved there. I’ve got a big banking crisis, and I’ve got un- As a general deal, I think that we should be employment numbers that are very high, and looking forward and not backwards. I do worry we’ve got an auto industry that needs work. about this getting so politicized that we cannot There are a whole things—range of things that function effectively and it hampers our ability during the day occupy me, but the thing that I to carry out critical national security opera- consider my most profound obligation is keep- tions. ing the American people safe. And so if and when there needs to be a fur- So I do not take these things lightly, and I ther accounting of what took place during this am not in any way under illusion about how period, I think for Congress to examine ways difficult the task is for those people who are on that it can be done in a bipartisan fashion, out- the frontlines every day protecting the Ameri- side of the typical hearing process that can can people. So I wanted to communicate a sometimes break down and break it entirely message yesterday to all those who over- along party lines—to the extent that there are whelmingly do so in a lawful, dedicated fash- independent participants who are above re- ion that I have their back. proach and have credibility, that would proba- All right? Thank you, everybody. bly be a more sensible approach to take. I’m not suggesting that that should be done, NOTE: The President spoke at 11:23 a.m. in but I’m saying, if you’ve got a choice, I think the Oval Office at the White House. In his re- it’s very important for the American people to marks, he referred to Queen Rania of Jordan; feel as if this is not being dealt with to provide U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace one side or another political advantage, but George J. Mitchell; Prime Minster Benjamin

532 Administration of Barack Obama, 2009 / Apr. 21

Netanyahu of Israel; Supreme Leader Ayatollah Eric H. Holder, Jr. A reporter referred to jour- Ali Hoseini-Khamenei and President Mahmud nalist Roxana Saberi. Ahmadi-nejad of Iran; and Attorney General

Remarks on Presenting the Commander in Chief’s Trophy to the United States Naval Academy Midshipmen April 21, 2009

Good afternoon, everybody. Please have a credible upset over Wake Forest, even if they seat. Well, welcome to the White House for got you back at the EagleBank Bowl. We won’t your sixth straight—[laughter]—Commander in talk about that. [Laughter] Often overshadowed Chief Trophy. By now, you guys know your way by your fearsome offense is the most improved around here better than I do. [Laughter] defense in the Nation. I want to thank everybody who is here. Obvi- And these seniors who are behind us should ously, we want to thank the superintendent, especially be proud: four straight NCAA rush- Vice Admiral Jeffrey Fowler. Coach Ken, thank ing titles—team rushing titles, something no you. We were just talking—he’s another local team has ever done before, in 4 years, 33 wins, boy from Hawaii. [Laughter] He’s 4 years and again, no losses to Army or Air Force. younger than me, but apparently we’ve got I understand your unofficial motto is “No Ex- some mutual friends. cuses, Nobody Cares”—[laughter]. That is my Congratulations to the cocaptains, Clint and wife Michelle’s motto for me also. [Laughter] Jarod, for your outstanding season. A few other But I know that’s what makes Navy football so acknowledgements here, we’ve got Congress- special; you suit up and you play each week man Dutch Ruppersberger, where’s Dutch? against some of the top teams in the country, There he is right there. Good to see you. Con- and you refuse to let that excuse you from tak- gressman Eric Massa—good to see you, Eric. ing the coursework or your military training se- Congressman John Sarbanes, right here; we riously. have B.J. Penn, the Acting Secretary of the Na- And that’s why I’m so proud of this team for vy. Good to see you, sir. leading the NCAA in graduation rates for 4 And I want to extend a special welcome to straight years—the most important statistic of Lieutenant Commander Wesley Brown, class of the Midshipmen. In fact, I want to congratulate 1949. There he is, right here. Please stand. the entire Navy athletic department, because, Wesley was the Academy’s first African Ameri- as a whole, Navy athletics has led the Nation in can graduate. He served his country for 25 graduation rates 4 years in a row. And that’s an years. And the brand new, state-of-the-art Wes- extraordinarily, extraordinary accomplishment. ley Brown Field House will ensure that class af- So I want to congratulate Coach Ken—as I ter class of Midshipmen know his legacy for de- said, from my original home State, also the first cades to come. So we are very proud of you, sir. Samoan American head coach in the history of Thank you so much for your attendance here Division I–A, just the third Navy coach since today. World War II to have a winning record in his The Midshipmen, they’ve got a lot to be first season. proud of, as we know, six straight bowl games, Your starting quarterback is also Hawaiian. six consecutive wins over Air Force, most im- Where is he? Kaipo—where is he? This guy portantly, seven straight wins over Army. right here? [Laughter] I hear Kaipo is a pretty [Laughter] What can I—I’m not saying any- easygoing guy. He doesn’t get rattled easily, thing. [Laughter] performs under pressure. That’s the Hawaiian You showed incredible perseverance against spirit. That’s how we roll. [Laughter] Temple when you trailed by 20 with 9 minutes I’ve been watching Mel Kiper getting ready to go, tied it, won it in overtime. You won an in- for this weekend’s NFL draft. Where is he?

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