Meeting the EU Press

President George W. Bush, meeting with the press today in Vienna, at the annual U.S.-EU Summit, with European Council President ChancellorWolfgang Schussel of Austria, had an excellent extemporaneous response that is worth preserving, along with the look on the President’s face and Schussel’s equally eloquent response:

Q.  . . . [I]f I may, to President Bush, you’ve got Iran’s nuclear program, you’ve got North Korea, yet, most Europeans consider the United States the biggest threat to global stability.  Do you have any regrets about that?

PRESIDENT BUSH: That’s absurd. The United States is — we’ll defend ourselves, but at the same time, we’re actively working with our partners to spread peace and democracy. So whoever says that is — it’s an absurd statement.

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Q.  . . . [T]o the President, Mr. President, you said this is "absurd," but you might be aware that in Europe the image of America is still falling, and dramatically in some areas. . . . In the United Kingdom, your ally, there are more citizens who believe that the United States policy under your leadership is helping to destabilize the world than Iran.  So my question to you is, why do you think that you’ve failed so badly to convince Europeans, to win their heads and hearts and minds? Thank you.

PRESIDENT BUSH:  Well, yes, I thought it was absurd for people to think that we’re more dangerous than Iran.  It’s a — we’re a transparent democracy.  People know exactly what’s on our mind.  We debate things in the open.  We’ve got a legislative process that’s active.  Look, people didn’t agree with my decision on Iraq, and I understand that.  For Europe, September the 11th was a moment; for us, it was a change of thinking.  I vowed to the American people I would do everything to defend our people, and will.  I fully understood that the longer we got away from September the 11th, more people would forget the lessons of September the 11th.  But I’m not going to forget them.  And, therefore, I will be steadfast and diligent and strong in defending our country.

I don’t govern by polls, you know.  I just do what I think is right.  And I understand some of the decisions I made are controversial.  But I made them in the best interest of our country, and I think in the best interest of the world.  I believe when you look back at this moment, people will say, it was right to encourage democracy in the Middle East.  I understand some people think that it can’t work.  I believe in the universality of freedom; some don’t.  I’m going to act on my beliefs so long as I’m the President of the United States.  Some people say, it’s okay to condemn people for — to tyranny.  I don’t believe it’s okay to condemn people to tyranny, particularly those of us who live in the free societies.

And so I understand, and I’ll try to do my best to explain to the Europeans that, on the one hand, we’re tough when it comes to the war on terror; on the other hand, we’re providing more money than every before in the world’s history for HIV/AIDS on the continent of Africa.  I’ll say, on the one hand, we’re going to be tough when it comes to terrorist regimes who harbor weapons.  On the other hand, we’ll help feed the hungry.  I declared Darfur to be a genocide because I care deeply about those who have been afflicted by these renegade bands of people who are raping and murdering.

And so I will do my best to explain our foreign policy.  On the one hand, it’s tough when it needs to be; on the other hand, it’s compassionate.  And we’ll let the polls figure out — people can say what they want to say.  But leadership requires making hard choices based upon principle and standing — (President’s mike goes out) — and that’s how I’m going to continue to lead my country.

Thank you for your question.

CHANCELLOR SCHÜSSEL:  Let me add — let me add something.  I think Austria is really a good example to show that America has something to do with freedom, democracy, prosperity, development.  Don’t forget I was born in ’45.  At that time, Vienna and half of Austria laid in ruins.  And without the participation of America, what fate would have Europe?  Where would be Europe today?  Not the peaceful, prosperous Europe like we love it and where we live.

Nothing — I will never forget that America fed us with food, with economic support.  The Marshall Plan was an immense aid and incentive to develop industry, agriculture, tourism.  And by the way, I said it to the President, the Marshall Fund is still working in Austria. It’s now transformed into a kind — in a fund for research and development — still working.

The American people, at that time, the American government invested billions of dollars in Europe to develop the former enemy.  And now we are a partner.  So I think it’s grotesque to say that America is a threat to the peace in the world compared with North Korea, Iran, other countries.

President George W. Bush shakes the hands of Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel of Austria, center, and European Union President Jose Manuel Barroso following a press availability Wednesday, June 21, 2006, at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. White House photo by Paul Morse.