BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 14, 2006
(CBS/AP) President Bush, freshly home from a surprise trip to Baghdad, said Wednesday that he was "inspired" by his visit to "a free and Democratic Iraq."
Speaking at a White House news conference, Mr. Bush said that coalition forces remain on the offensive against insurgents, using intelligence gathered in the aftermath of the killing of top Iraqi terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Of his meeting with newly installed Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Mr. Bush said, "I saw first hand the strength of his character and his deep determination to succeed."
"Iraqi and coalition forces are still on the offense," Mr. Bush said. He cited raids of suspected terrorist targets. "We got new intelligence from those raids which will enable us to keep the pressure on the foreigners and the local Iraqis who are killing innocent lives," Mr. Bush said.
"We'll seize this moment of opportunity to help the prime minister," he said.
Mr. Bush said he would like to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but the U.S. is holding "some people that are darned dangerous." He said Guantanamo can't be closed without a plan for what to do with the terror suspects
CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer reports Mr. Bush is using this session with reporters to deliver a domestic version of the message he took to Iraq: the U.S. won't leave until Iraq can defend itself.
"I am going to do what I think is right. When I tell you these decisions are going to be made by General (George) Casey, I mean it," the president said Tuesday as he flew back from his surprise trip. Casey is the top U.S. general in Iraq.
Mr. Bush has shied away from embracing suggestions from Casey and other military leaders that the U.S. troop strength in Iraq — now about 132,000 — could be whittled to 100,000 by the end of the year. The war has weakened Mr. Bush politically and raised anxieties among Republicans that they will lose seats — and perhaps control — in either the House or Senate in November.
"There's a worry almost to a person that we will leave before they are capable of defending themselves, and I assured them they didn't need to worry," the president said. "I also made it clear that we want to work with their government on a way forward on all fronts."
"They're deeply concerned that the stability provided by our coalition forces will be removed and there will be a vacuum and they're concerned about what goes into the vacuum, and I can understand that concern," he added. "I assured them that we'll keep our commitment. I also made it clear to them that in order for us to keep our commitment, they themselves have to do some hard things, they themselves have to set the agenda."
Slouched in a high-back swivel desk chair in his office on Air Force One, Mr. Bush talked about his 5½ hour visit to Baghdad about a half hour after his departure. Security was extraordinary for the takeoff from Baghdad's airport. Mr. Bush's plane sat in total darkness on the runway and lifted off with no running lights. The plane had not been completely refueled so that it could get up high faster. As a result, a refueling stop was required en route back to Washington and it was nearing dawn Wednesday when it made it back to the White House.
Mr. Bush sat at his v-curved desk in a rumpled white shirt with no tie. Senior aides stood along the wall or sat on a couch in front of him as he chatted with reporters for 36 minutes.
Mr. Bush said it was unrealistic to expect that Iraq could rid itself of violence — the bombings, gunfire and suicide attacks that have become a part of daily life in some cities.
"If the standard is no violence, that's an impossible standard to meet," the president said. "If the standard is a government that is beginning to gain the confidence of the people because they're taking wise action in terms of helping return normalcy, then I believe this government will meet that standard."
Mr. Bush's visit came six days after a U.S. air strike killed al Qaeda terror chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and five days after Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki completed his cabinet by naming the ministers of Defense and Interior — events the president's advisers hoped would lead to political progress.
Mr. Bush said he made the surprise trip to Baghdad to size up al-Maliki and members of his cabinet. The president came away with a good impression of al-Maliki and his team, which combines Sunni, Shiite and Kurd officials into a unity government.
"I wanted to hear him talk about his way forward in Iraq," Mr. Bush said. "I wanted to hear whether or not he was stuck in the past or willing to think about the future. I wanted to get a sense of his capacity to prioritize and rally people to achieve objectives. I came away with a very positive impression. He was a serious-minded fellow who recognized there had to be progress in order for the Iraqi people to believe the unity government could make a difference in their lives. He specifically talked about electricity in Baghdad and we talked about the security situation."
Mr. Bush listened to individual cabinet members describe the challenges they face. He referred to them by their jobs — "oil guy," "reconciliation person," "defense minister," "the electricity man," a "lady member of the cabinet" who talked about human rights concerns about coalition forces.
"I came away with the feeling they're plenty capable people," the president said.
(CBS/AP) President Bush, freshly home from a surprise trip to Baghdad, said Wednesday that he was "inspired" by his visit to "a free and Democratic Iraq."
Speaking at a White House news conference, Mr. Bush said that coalition forces remain on the offensive against insurgents, using intelligence gathered in the aftermath of the killing of top Iraqi terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Of his meeting with newly installed Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Mr. Bush said, "I saw first hand the strength of his character and his deep determination to succeed."
"Iraqi and coalition forces are still on the offense," Mr. Bush said. He cited raids of suspected terrorist targets. "We got new intelligence from those raids which will enable us to keep the pressure on the foreigners and the local Iraqis who are killing innocent lives," Mr. Bush said.
"We'll seize this moment of opportunity to help the prime minister," he said.
Mr. Bush said he would like to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, but the U.S. is holding "some people that are darned dangerous." He said Guantanamo can't be closed without a plan for what to do with the terror suspects
CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer reports Mr. Bush is using this session with reporters to deliver a domestic version of the message he took to Iraq: the U.S. won't leave until Iraq can defend itself.
"I am going to do what I think is right. When I tell you these decisions are going to be made by General (George) Casey, I mean it," the president said Tuesday as he flew back from his surprise trip. Casey is the top U.S. general in Iraq.
Mr. Bush has shied away from embracing suggestions from Casey and other military leaders that the U.S. troop strength in Iraq — now about 132,000 — could be whittled to 100,000 by the end of the year. The war has weakened Mr. Bush politically and raised anxieties among Republicans that they will lose seats — and perhaps control — in either the House or Senate in November.
"There's a worry almost to a person that we will leave before they are capable of defending themselves, and I assured them they didn't need to worry," the president said. "I also made it clear that we want to work with their government on a way forward on all fronts."
"They're deeply concerned that the stability provided by our coalition forces will be removed and there will be a vacuum and they're concerned about what goes into the vacuum, and I can understand that concern," he added. "I assured them that we'll keep our commitment. I also made it clear to them that in order for us to keep our commitment, they themselves have to do some hard things, they themselves have to set the agenda."
Slouched in a high-back swivel desk chair in his office on Air Force One, Mr. Bush talked about his 5½ hour visit to Baghdad about a half hour after his departure. Security was extraordinary for the takeoff from Baghdad's airport. Mr. Bush's plane sat in total darkness on the runway and lifted off with no running lights. The plane had not been completely refueled so that it could get up high faster. As a result, a refueling stop was required en route back to Washington and it was nearing dawn Wednesday when it made it back to the White House.
Mr. Bush sat at his v-curved desk in a rumpled white shirt with no tie. Senior aides stood along the wall or sat on a couch in front of him as he chatted with reporters for 36 minutes.
Mr. Bush said it was unrealistic to expect that Iraq could rid itself of violence — the bombings, gunfire and suicide attacks that have become a part of daily life in some cities.
"If the standard is no violence, that's an impossible standard to meet," the president said. "If the standard is a government that is beginning to gain the confidence of the people because they're taking wise action in terms of helping return normalcy, then I believe this government will meet that standard."
Mr. Bush's visit came six days after a U.S. air strike killed al Qaeda terror chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and five days after Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki completed his cabinet by naming the ministers of Defense and Interior — events the president's advisers hoped would lead to political progress.
Mr. Bush said he made the surprise trip to Baghdad to size up al-Maliki and members of his cabinet. The president came away with a good impression of al-Maliki and his team, which combines Sunni, Shiite and Kurd officials into a unity government.
"I wanted to hear him talk about his way forward in Iraq," Mr. Bush said. "I wanted to hear whether or not he was stuck in the past or willing to think about the future. I wanted to get a sense of his capacity to prioritize and rally people to achieve objectives. I came away with a very positive impression. He was a serious-minded fellow who recognized there had to be progress in order for the Iraqi people to believe the unity government could make a difference in their lives. He specifically talked about electricity in Baghdad and we talked about the security situation."
Mr. Bush listened to individual cabinet members describe the challenges they face. He referred to them by their jobs — "oil guy," "reconciliation person," "defense minister," "the electricity man," a "lady member of the cabinet" who talked about human rights concerns about coalition forces.
"I came away with the feeling they're plenty capable people," the president said.