TRANSCRIPT - President George W. Bush Middle East statement, April 4, 2001

MSNBC ^ | 4-4-02 | George W. Bush

[Oldeconomybuyer]

This appears to be a well-orchestrated day between the US and Israel. President Bush makes a speech back-handing Arafat and his Arab enablers, announces Powell will go to the region, all of the sudden the IDF comes up with a smoking gun on Arafat, Zinni gets the go-ahead to meet with Arafat, and finally Sharon says he will withdraw within 72 hours ... all within an hour and a half...

[LurkedLongEnough]

Thanks for the transcript. This speech and demonstration of leadership was needed, and serves to unite Americans and all freedom-loving people once again towards the ultimate destruction of terrorist organizations.

[chuknospam]

Damn it, George, just say it!!!
"Arafat is a terrorist"!!!

Arafat is indeed a terrorist, he always has been, he was a terrorist that was legitimized through years of negotiation for peace. The U.S. is partially responsible for that.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

My guess is that Zinni will ask Arafat to resign.

[gramho12]

I heard all of Bush's speech, and it is amazing what the liberal news media chooses to use as headlines. The emphasis of this speech was the lack of leadership of Arafat, and he all but called him a bold-faced liar. His criticism of Israel, if you want to call it that, was asking Sharon to pull back a bit - GW gave full support to Israel. More pressure was put on the the Arab states, but you would never know that by reading the "mainstream media's" interpretation.

I loved his speech - it was forceful, consistent, and educational. Like my husband stated simply after watching the first Gore-Bush debate: "Bush is a leader, Gore is not". And this is one more example of his leadership.

[Dog Gone]

Sounds to me that Bush is fed up with the current situation. It was a blunt warning to Syria and Iran that they had better cut off support to Hamas and Hizbollah, or else.

The world expects an immediate cease-fire, immediate resumption of security cooperation with Israel against terrorism, an immediate order to crack down on terrorist networks. I expect better leadership and I expect results.

When Dubya expects results, there is hell to pay if they don't materialize.

[Dog Gone]

Damn it, George, just say it!!!

"Arafat is a terrorist"!!!

I think he was trying to leave a tiny crack open for Arafat to capitulate. The crack isn't very big, but it gives the Palestinians one final option to use Arafat to deliver peace.

Nobody, including Bush, is very optimistic about that, though.

[StriperSniper]

SG - Yup, that was my take.

n - Even the Vatican went wobbly on that.

SG - P.S. - VeriCip O.K.'ed

[Victoria Delsoul]

Well, this could well be a political speech where GW seems to be fair-minded regarding both sides. In the mean time Israel does what it's supposed to do.

[Sabertooth]

Responsible Palestinian leaders??? And why should Israel halt incursions when the Palestinians are attacking them?

He's just keeping the Arabs off-balance. We're going after Saddam shortly.

[CasearianDaoist]

Bush was shrewd - the IDF have already removed the worst of the lot. Bush gets to have his cake and eat it too. He has done more in a quarter that Cliton did in 8 years. Again he has proved his character and worth

[rbmillerjr]

It was his best speech on the ME to date. It did several things:

1)It pointed to the Pali terrorists as the wrongful party

2)It requests Israel pull out of the West Bank

3)It clearly states Arafat has done nothing to stop terrorism and has ...BROUGHT THIS situation ON HIMSELF.

4)It advises Syria to "make a decision on terrorism

5)instructs Iran and Hezbollah "those who would try to widen the war.........to "Get out!"

It was a great speech and clarified what our policy IS, which had not been the case recently.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Yes, I guess you're right.

[over3Owithabrain]

That is what jumps out at me. I see a threat here- make your decision, terrorists or no terrorists. There will be consequences to the decision, so choose wisely. I am asking Israel to back off to give you room to make a wise choice. Now make the wise choice. Or else

My sincere question is - hasn't this been tried before? How many times has Israel come to the diplomatic table peacefully, only to have more murders of their civilians? What makes this current promise/threat by Bush any different?

[Howlin]

Exactly. I just heard a guy on MSNBC talking about how Israel couldn't just "stop on a dime."

Watch the refugee camps.

[jerrymdss]

See links for Israeli settlements below. I would suggest that our readers start to brief themselves on the extensiveness of the Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights, becuase I do not think withdrawing from the settlements is as easy as one may think.

Click here
And click here

[carton253]

What could make it a difference is that GWB means it.

[jerrymdss]

I'll try once more. See links for Israeli settlements below. I would suggest that our readers start to brief themselves on the extensiveness of the Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights, becuase I do not think withdrawing from the settlements is as easy as one may think.

Click here
And click here If I messed the links up again, here they are: http://www.nimn.org/settlements/maps.html http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/qpal/pal_maps.htm

[Stirner]

I was moved by the President's remarks, and I hope things work out as he envisions. My only reservation was when he used the language of "occupation". That has become a very loaded word, used incessantly by the Palestinians to complain. I would have preferred more neutral language, like "disputed territories" or even "the land that will be the future Palestinian state".

[hchutch]

No, we're buying time to get ready to go after Saddam and Iran.

I've always pointed you towards the parable of the old bull and the young bull. This is one instance where it works.

The Israelis have enough smoking guns from the raid on the headquarters. Care to bet the CIA has copies of this, and are looking through their seven racks of computer tapes and disks (names Sleepy, Dopey, Happy, Bashful, Doc, Grumpy, and Sneezy, of course) and getting intercepts and items that corroborate those memos?

Arafat is toast, politically. The Arab nations are also going to be told very clearly that we expect the new Palestinean leadserhip to go after Hamas and other terror groups, and that they will have to help do that, too.

And, by the way, if Saddam or the Iranian mullahs so much as TWITCH the wrong way, they are toast. That will be the message to the Saudis and others. Sooner or later, one or the other will twitch, and they will be housed. I only hope we can build up a bit before it happens. For starters, we ought to bring back the CGNs and the Iowa-class battleships, but I think more than that will be needed.