President: It's in our interests to see a two state solution between Palestinians and Israelis. Elections are the beginning of the process and the election of Hamas was very instructive. It was the final culmination of the Arafat era and we don't want corruption. They want health care and better attention to the interests of their people. A government that has announced they want to destroy Israel....
Democracy will eventually allow them to live side by side in peace.
We're going to succeed in Iraq, if we don't loose our nerve, will send a powerful signal. Imagine the signal it will send to Iran. I believe the women's movement will be the defining moment in changing the middle east. There is a universal desire to be treated fairly.
Kuwaiti women are running for office. We have to be realistic about what's possible but firm in our belief that freedom is possible and necessary. Otherwise a system that says tolerate the tyrants didn't work and was a lesson of the attack on the US.
The world seemed okay, but beneath the surface there was tremendous resentment.
Question: You've alluded to tesnsion beneath the surface in countries. You haven't spoken about economic development this morning; where does it lie on your priority list. Also, countries that haven't gotten everything right regarding political stability. Keeping development funds from those countries - is it counter-productive. If you can help, maybe the tensions will be eased.
President: Good question. Talked with ? re the WTO because trade helps lift people out of poverty. Relationship between development aid and capital and how a society benefits more because of trade. Free trade agreement with Africa. Pres. Clinton signed it and I was happy to extend it. NO question the economy is important. Jim Woolfson went over with a plan to help Paleastinians with their economic development. It's an integral part of our policy.
We give lots of aid to countries that like us and those that don't like us. I have added on to the development for the millenium development account. Depends on the behavior of government. We should insist goverments fight corruption. A challenge of the account is if they don't fight corruption, they don't get $$.
CNN opts out; no one is carrying it currently.
Incongruent idiocy. Why we will fail in our purported Mideast aims.
I work on my typing skills playing Typer Shark Deluxe.
No. That has been tried. It's now time for strike jets loaded with napalm and some Kentucky Fried Palestinians.
The little bastards cheered 9/11; they cheer when Israeli schoolkids get blown up - to hell with them.
Regards, Ivan