Bush: 'World Is More Peaceful, Free Under My Leadership'

CNSNews ^ | 10/28/03 | Susan Jones

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

President George W. Bush defended his administration's handling of the situation in Iraq for the second day in a row on Tuesday, stressing that it remains a dangerous place - something he's said all along, he pointed out.

The only way to achieve a peaceful tomorrow is to remember the lessons of Sept. 11, Bush said at a press conference in the White House Rose Garden. The lesson of Sept. 11 is that terrorists will strike at innocent life, he added.

"I said right after September 11th , this would be a different kind of war," Bush told reporters. "Sometimes you'd see action and sometimes you wouldn't."

He said Iraq is a new front in the war on terror: "It's dangerous and it's tough," he admitted, but he said America will not turn and run because of terrorists bent on creating instability and denying freedom to people who want it.

"Freedom still has many enemies," Bush said. But, he added, "they're not going to intimidate America and they're not going to intimidate the brave Iraqis who are actively participating in securing the freedom of their country."

"Our strategy in Iraq to have our strike forces ready and capable to move quickly, as we gather actionable intelligence. That's how you deal with terrorists," he said.

"I'll say that the world is more peaceful and more free under my leadership," Bush told reporters. "And America is more secure." He said that is how he will describe his foreign policy in his second presidential campaign.

Bush said the U.S. is "working closely" with Syria and Iran to let them know that the U.S. expects them to enforce their borders, to keep foreign terrorists out of Iraq. He also said coalition forces have stepped up border patrol efforts.

Bush clarified that his policy in the Middle East is pretty clear - a two-state solution, he called it. He said there must be an effort to fight terror, so a Palestinian state can emerge. Bush admitted it's going to be hard to move the peace process forward until all parties commit themselves to a cessation of terror.

On another topic of concern to voters, President Bush said the U.S. economy is showing signs of "broad and gathering strength."

"America is starting to add new jobs; retail sales are strong; business profits are increasing; the stock market has been advancing; housing construction is surging and manufacturing production is rising. All of us can be optimistic about the future of the economy," he said, "but none of us can be complacent."

President Bush said he wants to control the rising cost of health care; protect businesses from junk lawsuits; cut needless and costly government regulations; and make his tax cuts permanent.

He urged Congress to pass a comprehensive energy bill and send a Medicare bill to his desk.. And he said the Senate must step up to its "serious constitutional responsibilities" by confirming Bush's judicial nominees.

"More than one third of my nominees for the circuit court are still awaiting a [confirmation] vote," Bush said. He blamed it on "a small group of Senators [who are] willfully obstructing the process."

"The needless delays in the system are harming the administration of justice and they are deeply unfair to the nominees themselves," Bush said. "The Senate Judiciary Committee should give a prompt and fair hearing to every single nominee and send every nomination to the Senate floor for an up-or-down vote."

In response to a question on abortion, President Bush said he will sign a bill outlawing partial birth abortion. Asked if the "culture" has changed since the last presidential election, Bush said no - he doesn't think the American people or the Congress would totally ban abortions.

He also said he believes his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, made the right decision in ordering a starving woman's feeding tube to be reconnected.

[Puppage]

"I said right after September 11th , this would be a different kind of war,"

Yet, the rats say...."Yeah, but that was SO long ago".