Your President Speaks!

Today, at the White House, during yet another surprise presser.

Those Turks Are Big-- Massive Even

I appreciate very much the fact that the Iraqi government understands that this is a sensitive issue with the Turks, and that's why Vice President Hashimi is in Istanbul today, talking with the Turkish leaders to assure them that Iraq shares their concerns about terrorist activities, but that there's a better way to deal with the issue than having the Turks send massive troops into the country -- massive additional troops into the country.

We Continue To Dialoguing

We are actively involved with the Turks and the Iraqis through a tripartite arrangement, and we'll continue to -- dialoguing with the Turks.

When The American President Talks About Religious Tolerance And Religious Freedom Is Good

Matter of fact, I don't think it ever damages relations when the American President talks about religious tolerance and religious freedom is good for a nation.

Was Not Sober In 1980

You know, Dave, I don't remember what I was doing in 1980 -- let's see, I was living in Midland, Texas; I don't remember my reaction that far back.

The Global War On Pronouns Continues

I understand where you're trying to take.

Does Not Understand The Meaning Of The Word "Consequential"

And the reason why is that diplomacy only works if there are consequences when diplomacy breaks down, and it makes sense for there to be other people at the table so that if North Korea were to have said to all of us, we're doing to do x, y, or z, and they don't, that we have other -- people other than the United States being consequential.

What Matters Most Are

What matters most to me are whether or not we can achieve the results that I've said we're hoping to achieve.

Hurt Them Bad

Yeah, we've hurt them bad in Iraq. We've hurt them bad elsewhere.

All Those Number Threes

If you're the number three person in al Qaeda, you've had some rough goes -- you've either been captured or killed.

Not Actually What They Say

But, no, I fully understand those who say you can't win this thing militarily. That's exactly what the United States military says, that you can't win this military [sic].

A Country With Deep Sectarian Divide

They're beginning to realize there's a better future than one of -- that one -- with a country with deep sectarian divide.

When I Visited He Understands

I -- as I said, I look forward to -- if those are, in fact, his comments, I look forward to having him clarify those, because when I visited with him, he understands that it's in the world's interest to make sure that Iran does not have the capacity to make a nuclear weapon.

Are Those Real Statements?

I think so long -- until they suspend and/or make it clear that they -- that their statements aren't real, yeah, I believe they want to have the capacity, the knowledge, in order to make a nuclear weapon.

What We Got In Iran

But this -- we got a leader in Iran who has announced that he wants to destroy Israel.

Threatens To Start World War III

So I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.

Working What We're Doing

Plus we'll continue working the financial measures that we're in the process of doing.

Step Up A State

And the reason why there needs to be a vision of what a state could look like is because the Palestinians, that have been promised all these years, need to see there's a serious, focused effort to step up a state.

Blowed Up Good

That's the struggle, that when you see people trying to blow up the opportunity for a state to exist, you just got to understand it's broader than just the Palestinian Territory.

There Is Positive Elements

In other words, there's positive elements of our economy.

Securitization Provide Liquidity

The securitization of mortgages actually provide a lot of liquidity in the market, and that's a good thing.

It Creates A Issue

But it also creates a issue here in America, and that is, how do we get people to understand the nature of the mortgages they bought, and how do you help people refinance to stay in home -- stay in their home?

To Facilitate The Ability To People To Refinance

And so that's what Secretary Paulson, Secretary Jackson have been working on, particularly with the private sector, to facilitate the ability to people to refinance.

What We Got To Do

And if we want people staying in their homes, then it seems like to me we got to change the tax code.

There Is Some Things

So there's some things we can do, Ed.

The Gotherder

In the meantime, you just got to understand, it's going to have to work -- when you got more houses than you got buyers, the price tends to go down.

The Global War On Articles Continues

And one way to do that is to have personal relationships that enable me to sit down and tell people what's on my mind without fear of rupturing relations.

Some People  Say The Russians Aren't Capable Of Democracy

Now, in terms of whether or not it's possible to reprogram the kind of basic Russian DNA, which is a centralized authority, that's hard to do.

He Does Not Want Good Long-Term Relations With The West

And the best way to have good long-term relations with the West is to recognize that checks and balances in government are important, or recognize there are certain freedoms that are inviolate.

Not A Country, A Relationship

So Russia a complex relationship, but it's an important relationship to maintain.

There Are People Congress

We're -- I recognize there are people Congress that say we shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Finding Ground

I hope we continue to find ground by making sure our troops get funded.

If There Is Any Inconsistencies

And they, too, want to make sure that if there's any inconsistencies or behavior that shouldn't -- that ought to be modified, that we do that.

Can't Answer A Simple Question

Q Thank you, sir. A simple question.

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. It may require a simple answer.

Q What's your definition of the word "torture"?

THE PRESIDENT: Of what?

Q The word "torture." What's your definition?

THE PRESIDENT: That's defined in U.S. law, and we don't torture.

Q Can you give me your version of it, sir?

THE PRESIDENT: Whatever the law says.

Comments

[mr_teem]

Heh. Let's be fair. He did answer the torture question, albeit circularly. And unlike the Israel/Syria questions.

[willis]

"Torture" is having to listen to this idiot so you can continue to post this series.

Hat's off to you!

[hoppy]

Willis, I think Holden cheats! He can't possibly tolerate listening to that idiot day after day after day. So, he looks for the official transcripts and reads them while slogging down a case of Bud. What any ordinary person would do, in other words.