In the midst of a new scandal relating to the occupation (née "liberation")
of Iraq, President George H. W. Bush conducted his second news conference in as many months today. This, by contrast with
the past three and a half years, when the frequency of presidential news conferences was scarcely yearly. In the joint news
conference he was accompanied by King Abdullah of Jordan.
He was asked why he would not appear alone before questioners, in a reference
to his unrecorded, unsworn and unremembered testimony before The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United
States (also known as the 9-11 Commission) in which he was accompanied by Vice President Dick ("Gepetto" to his friends) Cheney.
He replied, "Before the 9-11 Commission I was accompanied by Vice President Cheney, the person with whom ‘I was together
on that day,’ since he was hiding in a bunker while I interviewed kindergartners. And King Abdullah and I are together
in combating terrorism wherever it may arise, whether in the United States or in Riyadh, Jordan."
Photographs were taken of the two principals, smiling and shaking hands,
and accompanying them on the dais were Secretaries of Defense and State Donald Rumsfeld and Colin Powell, as well as the Secretary
of the Interior, Gale Something-or-other, all of whom smiled and applauded the photographing which demonstrated good relations
among the two countries. King Abdullah expressed his full support for the policies of The United States, and offered to send
troops where they were needed. While he demurred where Iraq and Afghanistan were concerned, he seemed genuinely eager to help
by shipping a division or two to the West Bank.
President Bush was asked about the pictures of apparent abuse of prisoners,
setting off a scandal which has negatively colored both the liberation of Iraq and public views of his Administration’s
clarity as to the task at hand. He replied, "Secretary Rumsfeld, who should have shown me the pictures, has been completely
responsible for our successful occupation of Iraq, due to his preplanning and preparation. He will deal with these few rebellious
thugs, who do not represent the bulk of American military personnel and who were all privates or even lower, acting on their
own and completely without any direction from superiors or civilians, and who were carrying out these acts." In a followup,
a reporter asked if the Administration were determined to follow the investigation wherever it led, even up the chain of command,
and the President replied, "Bring it on." Secretary Rumsfeld visibly started at the remark, while Secretary Powell appeared
to be laughing and clapped Secretary Rumsfeld on the back..
After the conference, Interior Secretary Gale (?) and King Abdullah and
his aides retired to discuss the transfer of Maryland to the Kingdom of Jordan.
