White House Report, Sept. 4: Iraq, Mideast, 9/11 memorial events

President Bush "has made it very clear" that the United States "will provide the necessary resources to secure the peace and freedom in Iraq, and that we will work very closely with Congress to do that. We are still assessing what the exact needs are, and when we have those numbers, then we will work with Congress to get that passed quickly," White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan told reporters September 4.

Asked about news reports speculating that it will cost between $60 to $80 billion for reconstruction and security in Iraq, McClellan said, "I'm not going to get into speculation, because we are still assessing what the needs are, what the exact needs are.

"We have been listening to and working with the administrator of the coalition provisional authority in Iraq, U.S Ambassador L. Paul Bremer, and with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and U.S. commanders in the field," McClellan said.

"They are the ones who are in the best position to assess what the needs are. We also have to continue to increase international participation in our efforts. And when we have a good sense of what the exact needs are, we will be ready to move forward with Congress, as quickly as possible."

Asked about the status of the new U.S. draft resolution on Iraq being circulated among Security Council members, McClellan said that the United States continues "to be in consultations with members of the Security Council to move forward on a new resolution. And so that consultation continues at this point."

"[W]e want to listen to or get some feedback from other members of the Security Council before moving forward. But we will move as quickly as we can," he added.

"This is about encouraging even broader international participation in Iraq. There is already broad international participation" there, he said, noting that "more than 30 countries are already participating in our efforts in Iraq. A number of others have committed to help. And then we've been in discussions with others.

"And this is part of our efforts to do what the president has said all along, to help encourage broader international participation."

"Iraq is critical to winning the war on terrorism, and a peaceful and free Iraq will serve as an example for the rest of the Middle East. Everybody has a stake in helping the Iraqi people build a secure, free and democratic future," McClellan said.

ALL NEED TO HONOR OBLIGATIONS TO ROAD MAP FOR PEACE IN MIDDLE EAST

Asked if President Bush was concerned about the apparent struggle between Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, McClellan would not respond, saying "that's getting into internal matters over there, and those are best addressed by the Palestinians."

But he stressed "the importance of all parties working together to meet their obligations under the road map" to peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, adding that the United States is "continuing to work with the parties in the region on moving forward on the road map. And that's what our focus is."

Abbas, he said, "is someone who has shown a commitment to the two-state vision, and helping the Palestinian people to realize their aspirations of a Palestinian state," McClellan said, while Yasser Arafat "has not played a helpful role in moving forward on the road map."

"Our focus is to continue working with the parties so that they meet the obligations. At the top of that list is the dismantlement of terrorist organizations. And it's important for there to be a unified security structure under Prime Minister Abbas' leadership."

"That's who we have been working with, and we will continue to work with, as we move forward on the road map. We've made some progress. It has been slow, but it's progress, nonetheless, and we are committed to continuing to work with the parties."

SCHEDULE FOR SEPTEMBER 11 MEMORIAL SERVICES

September 11th, 2003, will be "a somber day" for remembrance, reflection, and prayer to honor the victims "of the horrific and brutal attacks of September 11th, 2001," McClellan said.

"This is also a time to reaffirm our commitment and resolve to winning the war on terrorism."

President Bush the evening of September 10 will participate in a dinner and screening at the White House of "Twin Towers," which is the Academy Award winning documentary about the September 11th attacks in New York.

"Then on Thursday, September 11th, the president will participate in a service of prayer and remembrance at St. John's [across the street from the White House], along with Mrs. Bush. Following that, the president will participate in a moment of silence on the South Lawn of the White House, with Mrs. Bush and White House staff and other administration employees," McClellan said.

The moment of silence, he said, is set for 8:46 a.m., the exact time that the first plane hit the first tower.

That afternoon, President Bush "will visit Walter Reed Hospital to visit with some of our brave troops who have been wounded in our ongoing war on terrorism," McClellan said.

He added that Vice President Dick Cheney will attend a morning ceremony at the site of the World Trade Center in New York City and Defense Secretary Don Rumsfeld will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Following that Rumsfeld will attend a flag presentation and stained-glass window dedication ceremony at the Pentagon Chapel.

And Interior Secretary Dale Norton will participate in a ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, that will also mark the appointment of the advisory board on a U.N. Park Service Memorial to Flight 93.

The White House will also issue two presidential proclamations, McClellan said. "One will be to designate September 11th, 2003, as a national day of prayer and remembrance; and the other will be a proclamation that proclaims September 11th, 2003, as Patriot Day. And in that proclamation the President will call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities, including remembrance services and candlelight vigils.

"He'll also call upon the governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, as well as other appropriate officials, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Patriot Day. And he will also call upon Americans to display the flag at half-staff from their homes on that day, and to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, to honor the innocent victims who lost their lives as a result of these attacks," McClellan said.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)