MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. The President today began his day with his usual intelligence briefings, followed by an FBI briefing. Then he met for approximately one hour with the President of Kenya and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, where they discussed cooperation in the war against terrorism, they discussed regional issues involving security and the Horn of Afghan; they discussed the HIV-AIDS crisis in Africa and the United States commitment in the huge amount of aid that we are providing to help fight the scourge of AIDS in Africa. And they also discussed the food crisis that is affecting areas in the region, as well.

The President will shortly depart for the Islamic Center of Washington, D.C. -- or shortly give remarks at the Islamic Center of D.C. on the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. And then this evening the President will participate in the Christmas tree lighting and the Pageant of Peace on the Ellipse here in Washington.

With that, I'm happy to take your questions. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, Iraq has lied before and they're lying now about whether they possess weapons of mass destruction. Tariq Aziz's statement is very much like statements that Iraq made throughout the '90s, denying that they had weapons of mass destruction when, of course, it was found that they indeed had weapons of mass destruction. And so I see little reason to believe Iraq now when they have such a history of lying in the past about this very topic. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Let me cite for you something I think you will find constructive. This is July 31, 2002, Senator Biden's committee up on Capitol Hill, and this is a statement by Richard Butler, formerly of the United Nations. Quote -- this is Richard Butler speaking -- "It is essential to recognize that the claim made by Saddam's representative that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction is false. Everyone concerned, from Iraq's neighbors to the U.N. Security Council to the Secretary of the U.N., with whom Iraq is currently negotiating on this issue -- everyone simply, Mr. Chairman, is being lied to."

And Mr. Butler, formerly of the U.N., continued, "From the beginning, Iraq refused to obey the law. Instead it actively sought to defeat the application of the law in order to preserve its weapons of mass destruction capabilities."

Two more paragraphs -- "The work of UNSCOM, the body created by the United Nations Security Council to take away Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, had various degrees of success -- varying degrees," said Mr. Butler. "But above all, it was not permitted to finish the job. Almost four years have now passed since Iraq terminated UNSCOM's work, and in that period, Iraq has been free of any inspection and monitoring of its WMD programs."

And then Mr. Butler concluded, "This shows two key things. One, Iraq remains in breach of international law, and two, it has been determined to maintain a weapons of mass destruction capability at all costs."

President Bush has said Iraq has weapons of mass destruction; Tony Blair has said Iraq has weapons of mass destruction; Donald Rumsfeld has said Iraq has weapons of mass destruction; Richard Butler has said they do; the United Nations has said they do; the experts have said they do. Iraq says they don't. You can choose who you want to believe. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: I think the burden now falls on Saddam Hussein and his opportunity to shed that burden comes this weekend when he will send to the United Nations a declaration of the weapons that he possesses. And I think it will be a very interesting day to see what he says in that document, and we shall see what he says he has. Also we'll see what he says he doesn't have. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: I think, Helen, the burden is on Saddam Hussein to comply with the will of the United Nations and demonstrate -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: -- and Saddam Hussein by shooting at the inspectors, by bugging their rooms, by stopping them from being able to do their work, by holding them in parking lots for days, by slamming the gates to facilities they had every right under international law to inspect created an environment which they were withdrawn. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, let's let events take their course. I think that it will be important to note what Saddam Hussein says when he submits this declaration over the course of the weekend. We'll see what he says, and we'll also see what he doesn't say when he submits this. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Can you just step us through a little bit how the United States government is going to deal with this report? In other words, how information is going to get to various departments and agencies and experts, and what the administration is going to do with it? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Sure. I think there will be many people in various government agencies who will take a very careful look at it from an expert point of view to determine what it is that this document shows, and it will be a large number of people who take a look at it. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Now, Hans Blix and his team have said that they could be overwhelmed by this much information and documentation. It could take them a very long time, indeed, just to make their way through it. Is the United States prepared to provide translation assistance, analysis, sort of point the inspectors to special pages? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Ari, three times you've mentioned what the report does not contain, which may in the end be more significant, of course, than what it does contain. While you're reluctant right now to provide us with sort of a footnotes and backup evidence for the kind of statements like the one you read from Mr. Butler, after the report is out, is it the administration's intent to make public or to provide to the inspectors evidence of areas that you believe are not covered in the Iraqi declaration? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q There have been moments in American history when Presidents have decided that it was worthwhile to make some intelligence data public to prove the case and not simply make the statement. Adlai Stevenson at the U.N. is a famous one, but there have been others. Is it the administration's intention at this point to attempt that, to provide backup evidence, whether it's in the form of satellite photographs or other intelligence, to indicate areas that you believe that Saddam Hussein is -- ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q The burden of proof may lie on him, but the burden of putting together a coalition, if you believed he has withheld information, obviously lies on the United States. And the way you put together that coalition is providing evidence to back up your claims and the claims of others. The question is -- ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: I think in terms of assembling a coalition, the President is very well satisfied that the coalition is already assembling. The President has said that he will assemble a coalition of the willing, and the coalition has access to information and they know what I have just been saying to you, in citing these very public cases, including news reports. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: We'll know this weekend, won't we, when Saddam Hussein makes his report. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Not make public -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: All events in due course. Let Saddam Hussein make his report this weekend, which is what the United Nations asked to happen, and that is what the President called for. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Again, let him send his report. We'll take a look at what he does and what he says, and we'll keep you apprised as we receive the information. I can't guess. If he sends in one piece of paper with one paragraph on it, then it's rather easy to study it and it won't take much time. If he sends in tens of thousands of pages worth of documents, it will require some time to take a look at. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: I haven't looked ahead at tomorrow's schedule in any case. He has a National Security Council meeting every day, so -- you know I read that out every morning, I tell you he has the meeting. I'm not at liberty to go into any of what is discussed at National Security Council meetings, but the President meets with the NSC every day. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Are you essentially confirming the statement of one member of the inspection team that if the U.S. has intelligence that points to Saddam's weapons of mass destruction program, it has not been shared with the inspectors? And if that's the case, why has it not been shared with the inspectors? And is it your plan to do so after the declaration -- ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: We will continue to work closely with the inspectors as the events go along, as we always have. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Ari, you talk about the coalition is already assembling, in sort of response to David's question, you don't have to provide any additional information politically to bring this coalition together. How do you gauge the support in that light of Turkey for the operation, what's envisioned there? And can you expect to secure -- can the U.S. expect to secure use of Turkey as a staging ground for U.S. troops? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: I think as he described it, it was a very successful visit and he was pleased with his consultations with officials in Turkey. The President will be -- the President, as you know, met with Turkish officials during his visit to the Czech Republic, and important members of the Turkish government or governing structure will be coming to visit the President next week. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: I said everything that the President believes on that topic, and I don't have anything additional or different to add to it today. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: I think there is no question that, as a result of Elliott Abrams' efforts and the efforts of others as well, democracy has spread throughout Central and Latin America and he enjoys the tremendous faith and confidence of the President. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Ari, if I can come back to Greg's question, when you say the coalition is already beginning to form into place, there seems to be a few countries, including the British -- Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, I think -- I'm sure last week made these comments, that there's still a preference for another vote at the U.N. What is the White House position right now on, after all the information has been revealed, you have responded, does the Security Council get assembled again for another vote? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: The Security Council always has the right to meet, and the United States is a part of the Security Council. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: About will he be at the table? Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: The United States is a member of the Security Council. But I don't think anybody can predict whether the United Nations will or will not need to go in for another vote, or whether or not -- but it is certainly the prerogative of the United Nations Security Council to meet as they see fit at any time. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Ari, Iraq will have its say, of sorts, on Saturday when they release what has been described as a voluminous document. That will be their manifesto on what they have and what they don't have. You said this morning that the inspectors don't have access to all the intelligence information that U.S. officials have. Won't that then be the time for the U.S. to make public evidence that it has that may not be reflected in what the inspectors are finding, and would speak to what's omitted -- ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Let's wait and see what Saddam Hussein says this weekend. Maybe he will release a list of all his weapons of mass destruction and where they are, and that way the United Nations can go in and fulfill their mission to dismantle and destroy them. I'm not going to guess what Iraq will do this weekend, and I am not going to indicate every step that may or may not come following that action. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Two questions. Does the President have any idea of perhaps making some kind of hierarchy for material breaches? In other words, if you have smallpox vaccine, but you don't have a method of delivery -- in terms of taking military action for enforcement? And my second question has to do with United Airlines. Has there been any contact since yesterday's decision by the board between the administration and United Airlines? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Ari, just to follow up on that, you did say that he was -- hr respected their decision. But some congressional Republicans, including the Speaker, said they questioned the timing of it, coming last night before the machinists vote, saying it didn't give them a chance. Did the President have any concerns at all about the timing or -- ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: No, I think you can make the case that if they waited to do this after the vote, why didn't they allow the workers to know this information before they voted? I mean, I fail to see how whether it came before or after the vote is material. This is the decision that they have made and I think that once they reach the decision, the public has a right to know it. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Ari, there was a poll released -- I believe it was by the Pew Foundation -- yesterday showing that overseas, that the United States is not held in as high esteem as it once was. Is this something that troubles the President? And what does he think might be contributing to that? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q In that case, let's look at the Muslim world quickly at least. Obviously, if you go to war with Iraq, it might not sit too well with some other -- some folks in the Muslim world. What exactly is it that the administration is tending to do to try to bring those folks closer? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think, given the fact that Iran was attacked by Iraq, given the fact that Kuwait was attacked by Iraq, and given the fact that Saudi Arabia was attacked by Iraq, I don't think you're going to find many citizens that believe that Saddam Hussein is an exact role model for the way Arab community wants to be seen. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: It means just as I did in the follow-up, that the State Department contacted some 50 nations around the world in terms of possible cooperation, in the event that war becomes necessary, and that we are receiving good responses from many nations. And that the President believes that one of the best ways to avert war is to make absolutely certain that Saddam Hussein understands that, if he does not comply and disarm, we are ready to wage it and it will be waged successfully. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Nations have stepped up and committed specific levels of support. I won't get into what those may be, whether it is troops, whether it is equipment, whether it is overflight, whether it is landing bases. As I indicated, that is for each nation to do on its own. But you can assume all of the above in various regions of the world. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: That's correct. That's correct. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Ari, one of the Joint Chiefs yesterday shared a view in response to a question that the trigger for military disarmament in Iraq would most likely have to come after the inspectors were able to come up with the tangible goods to make the case that Iraq is lying. Does the President believe that that is the case? Because that would suggest that the burden of proof is more with the inspectors than with Iraq. ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Can I follow up on that? If the inspection process is this difficult in the size of the country and with the number of inspectors, then how long is the President willing to let this process -- which so far has looked on the outside like cooperation -- continue? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: The President will wait for Iraq to submit its declaration, and then we will take a look at it, as I said, in a thoughtful, deliberative manner, take all appropriate time to review it, and then you will hear from the United States in various forms as time goes along. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q On the domestic front, the latest CBO analysis shows that the federal deficit could balloon to upwards of $900 billion a year by the end of 2012. Taking that into account, does the administration believe there's room in the budget for permanent extension of a $1.35 trillion tax cut without this adversely affecting the deficit? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: There's no question the President thinks that the tax cut should be made permanent, and the President thinks it makes no sense at all to reimpose a marriage penalty on people because the government is spending too much. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Alex? Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q A couple questions. One is, there's some Internet postings, reportedly by al Qaeda, that a terrorist gift is on its way to mark the end of Ramadan, specifically citing today and tomorrow. At the same time, France has doubled its anti-terror efforts. Are we approaching or going into a period of higher alert?

And my second question is again about Hezbollah. Are we concerned, do you have indications that Hezbollah is going to take its suicide bombing campaign worldwide, as some of their leaders have said? Are you concerned about that? ... Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: I have nothing that's been provided to me pertaining to Hezbollah and a global campaign. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Russell, welcome back. I don't know where you've been, but you're always welcome. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Thank you, sir. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Who are you thinking of? Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Would he appoint -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Oh, I see what you're saying. Everything that I said when Henry Kissinger was appointed two weeks ago, about the outstanding integrity of Henry Kissinger and the high regard in which he's held. You should have been here two weeks ago; you missed that one.

Go ahead, you get a follow-up because you haven't been here. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: I think that if you want to compare what Tariq Aziz said last week to what Henry Kissinger, who has ably served the United States and who continues to ably serve the United States and is held in very high regard by people in both parties, including the families of 9/11, that's your judgment, your business. The President rejects that line of thinking. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, tomorrow I announce your appointment. (Laughter.) Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FLEISCHER: The President, as you know, and Secretary Powell, as you know, and Secretary Rumsfeld, as you know, have all said the goal is both. The goal is to make certain that Saddam Hussein disarms, and the United States policy under law is regime change. Read more Comment (0), Email this.