NewsMine — war-on-terror — iraq — dissent — Viewing Item

Helen thomas { January 9 2003 } Helen Thomas to Ari Fleischer (as reported on Antiwar.com) (fwd) Helen Thomas Socks it to the White House January 9, 2003 Helen Thomas, the most senior member of the White House press corps, really socked it to Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer on Monday over the issue of Iraq. Check out the dialogue: January 6, 2003 - 12:35 P.M. EST MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon and happy New Year to everybody. The President began his day with an intelligence briefing, followed by an FBI briefing. Then he had a series of policy briefings. And this afternoon, the President will look forward to a Cabinet meeting where the President will discuss with members of his Cabinet his agenda for the year. The President is going to focus on economic growth, making America a more compassionate country, and providing for the security of our nation abroad and on the homefront. And with that, I'm more than happy to take your questions. Helen. HELEN THOMAS: At the earlier briefing, Ari, you said that the President deplored the taking of innocent lives. Does that apply to all innocent lives in the world? And I have a follow-up. MR. FLEISCHER: I refer specifically to a horrible terrorist attack on Tel Aviv that killed scores and wounded hundreds. And the President, as he said in his statement yesterday, deplores in the strongest terms the taking of those lives and the wounding of those people, innocents in Israel. MS. THOMAS: My follow-up is, why does he want to drop bombs on innocent Iraqis? MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, the question is how to protect Americans, and our allies and friends -- MS. THOMAS: They're not attacking you. MR. FLEISCHER: -- from a country -- MS. THOMAS: Have they laid the glove on you or on the United States, the Iraqis, in 11 years? MR. FLEISCHER: I guess you have forgotten about the Americans who were killed in the first Gulf War as a result of Saddam Hussein's aggression then. MS. THOMAS: Is this revenge, 11 years of revenge? MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, I think you know very well that the President's position is that he wants to avert war, and that the President has asked the United Nations to go into Iraq to help with the purpose of averting war. MS. THOMAS: Would the President attack innocent Iraqi lives? MR. FLEISCHER: The President wants to make certain that he can defend our country, defend our interests, defend the region, and make certain that American lives are not lost. MS. THOMAS: And he thinks they are a threat to us? MR. FLEISCHER: There is no question that the President thinks that Iraq is a threat to the United States. MS. THOMAS: The Iraqi people? MR. FLEISCHER: The Iraqi people are represented by their government. If there was regime change, the Iraqi -- MS. THOMAS: So they will be vulnerable? MR. FLEISCHER: Actually, the President has made it very clear that he has not dispute with the people of Iraq. That's why the American policy remains a policy of regime change. There is no question the people of Iraq -- MS. THOMAS: That's a decision for them to make, isn't it? It's their country. MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, if you think that the people of Iraq are in a position to dictate who their dictator is, I don't think that has been what history has shown. MS. THOMAS: I think many countries don't have -- people don't have the decision -- including us. Original White House URL

americans arabs asia canada celebs church cities coleen-rowley congress dixie-chicks during-war europe former-presidents france germany iraqis military protests ritter russia turkey united-nations 911 family survivors { January 9 2003 } American soldiers seek asylum in canada { July 9 2004 } Americans resist war Amy goodman voice heard on iraq { March 10 2003 } Anti american sentiments Anti war strategy disruption { March 8 2003 } Attack not legal { February 27 2003 } Baghdad accuses powell { January 27 2003 } Blair regrets blowback from iraq war { May 10 2007 } Briton convincted for opposing war { April 14 2006 } Bush to please powerful jewish lobby { September 19 2002 } Bush_war_pics [gif] City sued over war protest { February 5 2003 } Former exchange ceo { March 4 2003 } Former minister meacher sparks fury { September 6 2003 } Gop leader resigns { March 10 2003 } Gore warns war helps terror { September 24 2002 } Greenpeace blocks uk { January 27 2003 } Happy you know it satire song Hecklers yell rumsfeld your fired Helen thomas { January 9 2003 } Hillary given pink slip { March 7 2003 } Human shields entry visa { February 11 2003 } Human shields ready Iraq double standard Iraq has world of allies { October 20 2002 } Iraq spies stirred protests { January 30 2003 } Iraq suffers { September 11 2002 } Iraq war effect on terrorism 031704 [gif] Late night satire Mainstream media dissent Mandela blasts { September 2 2002 } Mandela us wants holocaust Nationwise student protest 3 5 03 Pilger calls blair a coward Poet forum called off { January 31 2003 } Poet laureate opposes war Ramsey clark deounces war crimes { December 15 2002 } Rumsfeld disowned by relatives Saddam accuses US of world control Stormin norman schwarzkopf { January 28 2003 } Supports lacks among blacks Theatres global protest { March 3 2003 } Us diplomat resignation { February 27 2003 } Us fines woman human shield { August 11 2003 } Views on us 031704 [gif] Virtual protest { February 26 2003 } Whitehouse cancels poetry { January 30 2003 } World says oil greedy World suspicious US motives in iraq { December 4 2002 } Files Listed: 50

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