State Department Daily Press Briefing, 01/14/08 VIDEO, PODCAST, TEXT

Daily Press Briefing. Sean McCormack, Spokesman. FULL STREAMING VIDEO. Washington, DC. January 14, 2008, 12:41 p.m. EDT. PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE

MR. MCCORMACK: Good afternoon, everybody. Let me just start off with one note of interest. I know people were asking about it this morning and I anticipate that I will get questions about it, so let me pre-empt those questions. We did do a notification to the Hill this morning about part of the Gulf Security Dialogue arms packages. As you know, we do these in and they're of a piecemeal fashion. As they are ready and prepared to go up to the Hill, we go ahead and do the notification. So today's notification was just about one part of this overall package that I know you all have been writing about over the past several months, I guess.

Under the auspices of the Gulf Security Dialogue, the Administration today initiated the formal 30-day congressional notification process for the proposed sale of 900 Joint Direct Attack Munitions. The acronym for that is JDAMs to Saudi Arabia. And the best back-of-the-envelope estimate that I have of the cost for those is about 120 million -- million -- million. And we have done just for the historical records here, we've done five other Gulf Security Dialogue cases. There's already been the notification. We have done these in December. The list of those are two proposed sales to the UAE -- one, a Patriot missile system; two, an E2C Airborne Early Warning System support, one to Kuwait which is for Patriot Missile System upgrades and two others to Saudi Arabia; some targeting pods and AWACS upgrades. So that's where we stand. That's the most up-to-date information that I have with regard to the sales. And as there are other pieces that may need to be notified, they'll go and do this. But I know that this was an item of particular interest to you, so I wanted to fill you in as best I could on it.

QUESTION: How do you respond to some of the critics on the Hill that say that these JDAMs could potentially threaten Israel with the precision --

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, it's an issue that we have talked to the Saudi Government about, we've talked to the Israeli Government about, and we've worked quite closely with the Hill on this. I think we've been working with the Hill on this particular issue for pretty close to a year, almost, and we've spent a lot of time ensuring that we abide by our commitments to a qualitative military edge, QME, for Israel and this is something that President Reagan first talked about and it has been reiterated and reconfirmed by each successive President after that. And we are committed to maintaining that qualitative military edge for Israel.

QUESTION: And some of these critics in Congress also say that, you know, Saudi Arabia hasn't delivered on some of the things that are very important to the U.S., they haven't done enough to fight terrorism, they support Islamic extremism and that they haven't improved their human rights record. And how do you think this fits into this package if it does (inaudible)?

MR. MCCORMACK: Look, Saudi Arabia in its efforts to fight terrorism -- whether that is going after cells, picking up individuals, breaking up the financial networks -- has made quantum leaps from where it was in 2001. They have realized that this is a threat to them as well as to their close friends and allies.

So they have done -- they have made great progress in fighting terrorism -- picking up individuals associated with terrorist groups, breaking up terrorist cells, cracking down on terrorist financing. That isn't to say there isn't more to be done and they have to remain vigilant. We talk to them about that. We maintain an active dialogue with them on those issues.

And in terms of political reforms within the kingdom, that has been also something we have talked to King Abdullah about on a regular basis, if not every time the Secretary has met with him, and I'll leave it to the party out in Riyadh right now to talk about what is going to be on the President's agenda. But it is something that we talk to them about. They have started the process of reform. Now it is going to move at a different pace in each of the countries of the Middle East and we continue to urge them to move on that as quickly as possible, but it is not the same situation as it was back in 2001 on either of those counts.

QUESTION: Sean, two things. So do you have a total on the other five that have already been notified?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, let me do this. There is a website for the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA, www.dsca.mil. And what they do is, I can just show you, they have copies of these news releases up there for each of the sales. I expect they're going to have one up there for the JDAMS and it gives you the cost for each of the components.

Now, our -- sort of, again, back of the envelope, estimate for the JDAMs plus the other four -- other five notifications that I gave you was about $11.5 billion. So you'll see the JDAMs is actually a pretty small component. That comes out at about 120, 123 million.

QUESTION: One hundred and twenty-three, okay. And then there's a letter of Administration policy or something that's also going up --

MR. MCCORMACK: A statement of Administration policy?

QUESTION: Some letter that's supposed to address the reservations that people on the Hill have. Is that included in the notification or is that something separate?

MR. MCCORMACK: Honestly, I don't know, Matt. I would assume they'd go up at the same time if there is such a letter. I know that we've talked to members of Congress about this. I can't tell you whether or not there's a letter. I'm happy to look into it and see if there is something that we have put down in writing in terms of assurances.

QUESTION: The other five that you refer to --

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: When does the notification period end on those? You said it was in December, but when in December? Has that period passed?

MR. MCCORMACK: It's -- yeah, that period has passed.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah, that period -- I have a note here that says they were notified in December and that the 30 day waiting period, if you will -- that's not the technical term but it amounts to a waiting period has been completed on those -- on the other five.

QUESTION: On the other.

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah.

QUESTION: One other subject.

QUESTION: On the -- what about the Israeli arms package? When are you going to give notification on that?

MR. MCCORMACK: These things come out piecemeal in terms of notifications with respect to proposed arms sales. And if you check this website on a regular basis then they can update you on that.

QUESTION: But when do you think, though, that that's going to come up? Because the Israelis said over the weekend or some sources are saying --

MR. MCCORMACK: I'm not going to speculate on these things.

QUESTION: Okay. Some were saying that they have been given assurances that they're going to get better systems than the Saudis.

MR. MCCORMACK: If there was any further notifications to be made, it will go through the regular processes, you can keep your eyes on this website www.dsca.mil. They can keep you updated when those notifications go up.

QUESTION: But have you reached a deal with the Israelis as to exactly what's going to be in that package --

MR. MCCORMACK: Look, I don't talk about any --

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK: I don't speculate on the arms sales. What I can do is talk to you about notifications that we have done. And if there's any notifications that we make about any country in the future, you can look at that website and you can also ask me about it and I can do a little research and provide you whatever information we can provide in public about it.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK: Yes.

QUESTION: On Colombia. What's your opinion about the proposal of President Chavez to remove the status of terrorist to the FARC?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, you know, you'll excuse me if we don't take that advice. Look, they earned their way on to the terrorism list and those are things that people look at constantly. If there is any reason whatsoever to take a group off the terrorism list then that's done. But I'm not aware of any substantial change in a pattern of behavior by the FARC that would merit their being taken off a list.

QUESTION: But do you think that eventually, like remove this status now (inaudible) to start the peace process in Colombia?

MR. MCCORMACK: Look, we work very closely with the Colombian Government on this issue of the hostages. And one of the things that has been quite heartening for us is that President Uribe has made a point of telling us that he isn't going to differentiate between hostages. They're all hostages. It doesn't matter what nationality they happen to be, whether they're American or Colombian or any other nationality, and that is quite reassuring to us and as well as to the families of those American hostages. We certainly are quite concerned about them. They should just -- they should be released unconditionally so that they can be reunited with their families tomorrow. There's no reason on earth to hold those people.

QUESTION: What's your opinion about the meeting? They're eventually meeting with three congressmen -- Democrats -- with members of the FARC in order to --

MR. MCCORMACK: I'm not going to offer any comment on that other than to say we work very closely with the Government of Colombia on this issue.

QUESTION: Briefly to another issue -- the bombing of the hotel in Kabul.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: First, what do you know about it? And second, I understand there weren't any American embassy people at this party that the Norwegians were having for their Foreign Minister, but --

MR. MCCORMACK: Information is still coming in, so I'm -- I've seen various news reports about two fatalities. But I'm, again, not going to make any comment on the -- any numbers or the -- who might be involved at this point. Let's let the information come in. I've seen a claim of responsibility. I'm not in a position to confirm that, but I am also not in a position to dispute it as well.

At this point, it very clearly appears to be an act of terror. There are indications that it was a coordinated attack intended to strike at innocent people who just happened to be in this hotel. It is a hotel that is frequented by Westerners, other expatriates, but beyond that, I can't offer any assessment in terms of fatalities or injuries or the nationalities of anybody who may have been injured or killed.

QUESTION: But at the moment, you don't know of any Americans?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don't know -- at the moment, I don't know of any Americans.

QUESTION: Change of subject. How are the discussions going with the P-5+1 for a new resolution on Iran? Is there a political directors conversation planned soon? Is there a ministerial-level meeting planned soon as well?

MR. MCCORMACK: We'll keep you up to date on any ministerial-level meetings. It has been a topic of frequent conversation at the political director level. We are continuing to work with our colleagues in the P-5+1. We don't yet have an agreement on the text or -- of a resolution. We are working towards agreement on the elements of a resolution, but nothing's done until everything is done and I would expect that the conversations will continue. If there is an opportunity for the ministers to get together to really hammer out something, then I'm sure that they will avail themselves of that opportunity, but I don't have any announcements for you at this point.

QUESTION: It appears that the Chinese and the Russians are still uncomfortable with some of your suggestions for the resolution. The --

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, part of the negotiating process, even among parties that are working very closely together with the same strategic objective, is to get to everybody's comfort level, so you have the overlap in the Venn diagram where everybody can agree upon something and hopefully, that is something that is meaningful in terms of getting the Iranians to change their behavior.

As a group, we have not yet been successful in that. One would hope that the leadership of the Iranian Government would start to make a different kind of calculation about the costs and benefits to continuing to pursue a uranium enrichment program. The Security Council has called upon them to suspend those operations and in return, they can have negotiations with all the members of the P-5+1, including us.

QUESTION: Is the NIE still providing a good excuse for the Russians and the Chinese not to sign onto some more punitive actions against Iran?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, I think -- I'll let the Russians and the Chinese speak for themselves -- but I think what most took away from the NIE in reading it was a confirmation that the Iranians did have a military nuclear weapons program in violation of their IAEA obligations. And that is something that Director General Mohamed ElBaradei is following up with the Iranians.

We fully support the efforts of the IAEA to have the Iranians come clean on their past history of a nuclear weapons program and what it is exactly that they were doing and a full explanation of how far they progressed in those efforts. The international community does not, at this point, have those answers, so certainly, we support the IAEA in those efforts. But also, Iran needs to comply with the demands of the Security Council.

QUESTION: Have you spoken to ElBaradei since he had his meetings? Has the Secretary had any calls with him?

MR. MCCORMACK: Let me check for you. I don't -- I know that she intended to call him. I don't know that she has done that. Let me check it out for you.

QUESTION: Okay. Thank you.

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah, Nicholas.

QUESTION: Also on this, Sean, he was in Iran in the past few days, so there were reports that Iran asked the IAEA to resolve the nuclear issue within four weeks. I don't know whether it was a promise on their --

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: -- behalf to resolve it. The Secretary has said many times that ElBaradei and the IAEA are not in the business of (inaudible) diplomacy; they're experts who verify things and then report to the Security Council. So what do you make of this promise or the arrangement that, you know, Iran might resolve everything it has on the nuclear issue with the IAEA within a month?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, if, in fact, they do resolve it to the satisfaction of the IAEA and the members of the Board of Governors, certainly, that would be positive. We don't have any indication, judging by Iran's track record in dealing with the IAEA, that they intend to resolve the issue. Now they may have a different definition of the word, "resolved." They may provide some answers that are wholly unsatisfactory to the international system and consider the issue resolved. I don't know if that's their definition of "resolved."

Our definition of "resolved" is, very basically, answered to the satisfaction of the IAEA and its Board of Governors all the outstanding questions that we have for the Iranian Government regarding their nuclear activities. Now separate and apart from that are the demands of the UN Security Council. These are Chapter 7 resolutions that have the force of international law. That's a separate issue from what Director General ElBaradei is doing. He's focusing on, and rightly so, issues related to the IAEA. That falls directly within his purview.

Previously, what the Secretary was referring to, and it still stands, is that those issues are completely separate from issues related to the Security Council. It's the member states of the Security Council that are going to make judgments about whether or not Iran has fulfilled the requirements of UN Security Council resolutions. That's the distinction.

QUESTION: So do you attach any significance to that promise or arrangement?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, we'll see. I think at this point, people are going to only attach real significance to it if they actually produce. Thus far, they haven't.

Yeah. Yes, sir.

QUESTION: On Colombia, what information does the U.S. Department of State have on the possible airplane attack?

QUESTION: In Colombia, there is a warning for the U.S. citizens living in Colombia to not take planes and leave. There is a sanction during this time. Do you have any information about (inaudible)?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don't have any information beyond what was stated in the Warden Message. There was some discussion about this, I think, maybe a week or two ago when it first came out and that's something that, if it were to be put out today, would have been put out as a public travel notice warning to folks. So the fact of the matter is, it was put out; it was put out by our embassy as a Warden Message and it is publicly available. I don't have any other information beyond what is publicly stated.

QUESTION: Sean, another IAEA question. There were reports over the weekend that the agency has expressed interest in visiting, inspecting the site in Syria that was bombed by Israel in September because there was some new activity being detected there. Do you think that would be a good idea?

MR. MCCORMACK: It's up to the IAEA to make those requests. Certainly, we support the professionals of the IAEA in making these kinds of requests of a member state. I think it's up to those professionals to make those kinds of requests.

QUESTION: On Kenya?

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah.

QUESTION: Any truth to Kenyan opposition accusations that Kibaki is recruiting Ugandan troops (inaudible)?

MR. MCCORMACK: I hadn't heard that. You know, I hadn't heard -- I can't -- I'll look into it and see if there's anything that we know of that could either refute or substantiate that.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK: Yes.

QUESTION: A preview of Mr. Negroponte's meeting with the Polish Defense Minister (inaudible)?

MR. MCCORMACK: Not much beyond the fact they'll probably talk a lot about missile defense. I would expect that that is going to be the main topic of conversation and this is, let's remember, a negotiation and the Polish Government has interests that they are going to represent on behalf of the Polish people and the United States has interests. We are NATO allies and I would expect that we're going to be able to make some progress in trying to finalize some of these arrangements. I don't expect that it's going to be finalized during this particular meeting, but the Deputy Secretary will make all the points that he thinks he needs to make in order to help get to a solution.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Do you have anything about the arrest of Hu Jia, the Beijing-based human rights activist and the following house arrest of his wife and his attorney?

MR. MCCORMACK: Right. Yeah, this is a case that we have been following closely and we've brought it up with Chinese authorities. It's disturbing and I would expect that the Chinese Government would want to provide some details about this case. It's one that is important and that our Embassy here -- our Embassy in Beijing is following quite closely.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Do you have any comment on Taiwan's parliamentary election results?

MR. MCCORMACK: What I would say is that we have seen the results and offer our congratulations to the people of Taiwan for a successful democratic election. We look forward to continued, close, unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan.

QUESTION: Do you think that this an indictment on President Chen Shui-bian's --

MR. MCCORMACK: I can read this to you again. (Laughter.)

QUESTION: That won't be necessary.

MR. MCCORMACK: Okay.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. MCCORMACK: All right. Thanks.

(The briefing was concluded at 1:01 p.m.) DPB # 9 Released on January 14, 2008

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“The Grill Sergeants.” Let Them Eat Cake

Face of Defense: Army Chef Spices Up Pentagon Channel By John J. Kruzel American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, – Army Sgt. 1st Class Brad Turner today served hungry Pentagon Channel audiences a new recipe for entertainment during a half-hour cooking show called “The Grill Sergeants.”

“I love cooking gumbo,” Turner said while taking a break from serving cups filled with sausage, seafood and chicken gumbo to hungry workers in a Pentagon hallway. “It is probably the easiest dish to feed a mass of people, and it’s filling, it’s wonderful, and whomever I’m cooking for, I can always adapt it to them.”

Turner is stationed at Fort Lee, Va., and was one of several military “Grill Sergeants” chosen to host the program, which airs Mondays at noon Eastern Time and also will be available on the Pentagon Channel’s Web site, www.pentagonchannel.mil.

The chef, a charismatic showman with nearly 17 years of military experience, said “The Grill Sergeants” differs from other cooking shows in that it caters to a servicemember audience, with much of the dialogue peppered with military overtones.

In his favorite episode, titled “Saving Private Dining,” Turner serenades The Taste Buds’ bassist and his wife as they share a romantic fare that includes shrimp scampi and bananas foster cheesecake, which Turner had just cooked. “They just sat and eyeballed each other and took some time to be together,” the chef said. “It doesn’t get much better than that.”

Turner’s palette is borne of a New Orleans passion for food and, like many natives of the Big Easy, doesn’t eat to live; he lives to eat. The chef said his favorite part of cooking is the unity that emerges through preparing meals.

“I give (the audience) the ability to share themselves with other people,” the host said. “If you bake cookies with your kids, if you take time to cook with your spouse, if you take time to do that, that kind of gesture is irreplaceable.”

Turner hopes “The Grill Sergeants” will encourage families, especially military families distanced by deployments and busy work schedules, to relish moments in the kitchen together, preparing dishes in easy steps outlined in the follow-along cooking show.

“You gotta eat three times a day,” he said. “When your stomach says you’re hungry, why take some time to think, ‘Who have I not spoken to today?’ That’s three times a day that you can show love.”

Each episode of “The Grill Sergeants” will teach audience members how to prepare a single food theme -- cakes, pies or turkey entrées, for example -- while the in-house Army jazz quartet “The Taste Buds,” who also act as official taste testers, play the show’s score. To pique the appetites of Defense Department staffers ahead of the program’s noon debut, the program’s host and producer served the chef’s signature Louisiana-style gumbo in the Pentagon concourse.

Linda Doditch, producer of “The Grill Sergeants,” said the program was conceived as a way to expand the Pentagon Channel’s offering of “lifestyle” programming. “It focuses on healthy eating, nutrition and food safety tips,” she said. “And, of course, we’re incorporating a lot of fun and good recipes and down-home cooking that anybody can make.”

Doditch noted that recipes appearing on the show will be available on the program’s Web site. One of the satisfied Pentagon staffers who enjoyed the gumbo medley said she plans to download the recipe and prepare it for her family.

“The gumbo is delicious; I want seconds,” Defense Department employee Joanne Johnson said. “I certainly am going to try making this.”

• Related Sites: The Grill Sergeants
• Related Articles: Pentagon Channel Fired Up to Showcase Hot Platoon of ‘Grill Sergeants’

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Global Warming: NASA study suggests extreme summer warming in the future VIDEO

A new study by NASA scientists suggests that greenhouse-gas warming may raise average summer temperatures in the eastern United States nearly 10 degrees Fahrenheit by the 2080s.

"There is the potential for extremely hot summertime temperatures in the future, especially during summers with less-than-average frequent rainfall," said lead author Barry Lynn of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Columbia University, New York.

The research found that eastern U.S. summer daily high temperatures that currently average in the low-to-mid-80s (degrees Fahrenheit) will most likely soar into the low-to-mid-90s during typical summers by the 2080s. In extreme seasons – when precipitation falls infrequently – July and August daily high temperatures could average between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit in cities such as Chicago, Washington, and Atlanta.

To reach their conclusions, the researchers analyzed nearly 30 years of observational temperature and precipitation data and also used computer model simulations that considered soil, atmospheric, and oceanic conditions and projected changes in greenhouse gases. The simulations were produced using a widely-used weather prediction model coupled to a global model developed by NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

The global model, one of the models used in the recently issued climate report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), was utilized in this study to identify future changes in large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns due to the build up of greenhouse gases. This information was then fed into the weather prediction model to forecast summer-to-summer temperature variability in the eastern United States during the 2080s.

The weather model showed that extreme summertime surface temperatures developed when carbon dioxide emissions were assumed to continue to increase about two percent a year, the "business as usual" scenario. These findings are too recent to be included in the latest IPCC report.

The weather prediction model used in this research is advantageous because it assesses details about future climate at a smaller geographic scale than global models, providing reliable simulations not only on the amounts of summer precipitation, but also on its frequency and timing. This is an important capability for predicting summer temperatures because observed daily temperatures are usually higher on rainless days and when precipitation falls less frequently than normal.

Observational climate data also showed that sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean have a significant influence on summer air temperatures in the eastern U.S.

"Relatively cool waters in the eastern Pacific often result in stubborn summer high-pressure systems over the eastern states that block storms, reducing the frequency of precipitation below normal,” noted study co-author Richard Healy of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Mass. "Less frequent storms result in higher surface and atmospheric temperatures that then feedback on the atmospheric circulation to further reduce storm frequency and raise surface temperatures even more."

The global model simulated rainfall too frequently, so that its surface temperatures were not appropriately sensitive to interannual changes in Pacific sea surface temperatures. "Since the weather prediction model simulated the frequency and timing of summer precipitation more reliably than the global model, its daily high temperature predictions for the future are also believed to be more accurate,” added co-author Leonard Druyan, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Columbia University.

In comparison, the researchers say that a number of the global models used in previous studies of future climate change predict too frequent precipitation that often falls too early in the day. As a result, they tend to underestimate the amount of future warming by reflecting solar radiation back to space before it can warm the surface and by simulating excessive evaporation from the wet ground.

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that has documented the impact of precipitation simulation imperfections on model predictions of surface air temperature. "Using high-resolution weather prediction models, we were able to show how greenhouse gases enhance feedbacks between precipitation, radiation, and atmospheric circulations that will likely lead to extreme temperatures in our not so distant future," said Lynn. ###

Contact: Leslie McCarthy lnolan@giss.nasa.gov 212-678-5507 NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

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Freedom Calendar 01/12/08 - 01/19/08

January 12, 1956, Jewish Republican Simon Sobeloff, who as U.S. Solicitor General argued President Eisenhower’s position against segregation in Brown v. Board of Education, appointed to U.S. Court of Appeals 13

January 13, 2003, Jennette Bradley (R-OH) becomes first African-American woman to be Lt. Governor of a state.

January 14, 1975, Republican William T. Coleman nominated as first African-American to be U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

January 15, 1901, Republican Booker T. Washington protests Alabama Democratic Party’s refusal to permit voting by African-Americans.

January 16, 1954, Consuelo Bailey (R-VT) announces her ultimately successful candidacy to become nation’s first woman elected Lt. Governor of a state.

January 17, 1874, Armed Democrats seize Texas state government, ending Republican efforts to racially integrate government.

January 18, 1815, Birth of Republican Gov. Richard Yates (R-IL), who prevented Democrat-controlled legislature from withdrawing state troops from the Union Army.

January 19, 1818, Birth of anti-slavery activist Alvan Bovay, who organized first meeting of Republican Party in 1854, to oppose Democrats’ pro-slavery policies.

I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.”

Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States

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Presidential Podcast 01/12/08

Presidential Podcast 01/12/08 . Subscribe to Our Podcast feed or online podnova Podcast Channel and receive the weekly Presidential Radio Address in English and Spanish with select State Department Briefings. Featuring full audio and text transcripts, More content Sources added often so stay tuned. Middle East Trip

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Bush radio address 01/12/08 full audio, text transcript

bush radio address 01/12/08 full audio, text transcript. President's Radio Address . Middle East Trip

Subscribe to Our Podcast feed or online podnova Podcast Channel and receive the weekly Presidential Radio Address in English and Spanish with select State Department Briefings. Featuring real audio and full text transcripts, More content Sources added often so stay tuned.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I'm speaking to you from the Middle East, where I have been meeting with friends and allies. We're discussing how we can work together to confront the extremists who threaten our future. And I have encouraged them to take advantage of the historic opportunity we have before us to advance peace, freedom, and security in this vital part of the world.

My first stop was Israel and the Palestinian Territories. I had good meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian President Abbas. Both these men are committed to peace in the Holy Land. Both these men have been elected by their people. And both share a vision of two democratic states -- Israel and Palestine -- living side by side in peace and security.

I came away encouraged by my meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Each side understands that the key to achieving its own goals is helping the other side achieve its goals. For the Israelis, their main goal is ensuring the safety of their people and the security of their nation. For the Palestinians, the goal is a state of their own, where they can enjoy the dignity that comes with sovereignty and self-government.

In plain language, the result must be the establishment of a free and democratic homeland for the Palestinian people, just as Israel is a free and democratic homeland for the Jewish people. For this to happen, the Israelis must have secure, recognized, and defensible borders. And the Palestinians must have a state that is viable, contiguous, sovereign, and independent. Achieving this vision will require tough decisions and painful concessions from both sides.

I believe that a peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians that defines a Palestinian state is possible this year. Prime Minister Olmert made clear to me that he understands a democratic Palestinian state is in the long-term security interests of Israel. President Abbas is committed to achieving this Palestinian state through negotiation. The United States cannot impose an agreement on the Israelis and Palestinians -- that is something they must work out themselves. But with hard work and good will on both sides, they can make it happen. And both men are getting down to the serious work of negotiation to make sure it does happen.

The United States will do all we can to encourage these negotiations and promote reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. But the international community has a responsibility to help as well. In particular, the Arab nations of the Gulf have a responsibility both to support President Abbas, Prime Minister Fayyad, and other Palestinian leaders as they work for peace, and to work for a larger reconciliation between Israel and the Arab world. And in my meetings with Arab leaders over the next few days, I will urge them to do their part.

A democratic Palestinian state is in the interests of the Palestinians. It is in the long-term security interests of Israel. And it is in the interests of a world at war with terrorists and extremists trying to impose their brutal vision on the Middle East. By helping the Israeli and Palestinian people lay the foundation for lasting peace, we will help build a more hopeful future for the Holy Land -- and a safer world for the American people.

Thank you for listening.

END

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Discurso Radial del Presidente a la Nación 01/12/08

forre el audio de la dirección de radio 1/12/08 por completo, transcripción del texto. (nota de los redactores: ninguna lengua española mp3 lanzó esta semana, apesadumbrada) PODCAST

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Buenos Días.

Les estoy hablando desde el Medio Oriente, donde me he estado reuniendo con amigos y aliados. Estamos discutiendo cómo podemos trabajar juntos para enfrentar a los extremistas que amenazan nuestro futuro. Y les he instado a aprovechar la oportunidad histórica que tenemos delante de nosotros para avanzar la paz, la libertad y la seguridad en esta parte vital del mundo.

Mi primera escala fue en Israel y los territorios Palestinos. Tuve buenas reuniones con el Primer Ministro Israelí Olmert y el Presidente Palestino Abbas. Ambos hombres están comprometidos a la paz en la Tierra Santa. Ambos hombres han sido electos por sus pueblos. Y ambos comparten una visión de dos estados democráticos - Israel y Palestina - viviendo lado a lado en la paz y la seguridad.

Me sentí animado por mis reuniones con líderes israelíes y palestinos. Cada lado comprende que la clave para lograr sus propias metas es la de ayudar al otro lado a lograr sus metas. Para los israelíes su meta principal es garantizar la seguridad de su pueblo y la seguridad de su nación. Para los palestinos la meta es un estado propio, donde puedan gozar de la dignidad que viene con la soberanía y el auto-gobierno.

En lenguaje sencillo, el resultado debe ser el establecimiento de una patria libre y democrática para el pueblo palestino así como Israel es una patria libre y democrática para el pueblo judío. Para que esto ocurra, los israelíes deben tener fronteras seguras, reconocidas y defendibles. Y los palestinos deben tener un estado que sea viable, contiguo, soberano e independiente. Lograr esta visión exigirá duras decisiones y concesiones dolorosas de ambos lados.

Yo considero que un acuerdo de paz entre israelíes y palestinos que defina un estado palestino es posible este año. El Primer Ministro Olmert me aclaró que él comprende que un estado democrático palestino está en los intereses de seguridad a largo plazo de Israel. El Presidente Abbas está comprometido a lograr este estado palestino a través de la negociación. Estados Unidos no puede imponer un acuerdo a los israelíes y los palestinos - eso es algo que tienen que resolver ellos mismos. Pero con trabajo duro y buena voluntad de ambos lados, pueden hacerlo ocurrir. Y ambos hombres están dedicándose a la seria labor de negociar a fin de asegurar que ocurra.

Estados Unidos haremos todo lo que podamos para fomentar estas negociaciones y promover la reconciliación entre israelíes y palestinos. Pero la comunidad internacional también tiene una responsabilidad de ayudar. En particular, las naciones árabes del Golfo tienen una responsabilidad tanto de apoyar al Presidente Abbas, al Primer Ministro Fayyad y a otros líderes palestinos mientras trabajan por la paz - como de trabajar hacia una reconciliación mayor entre Israel y el mundo árabe. Y en mis reuniones con líderes árabes en los próximos días, les instaré a que hagan su parte.

Un estado palestino democrático está en los intereses de los palestinos. Está en los intereses de seguridad a largo plazo de Israel. Y está en los intereses de un mundo en guerra contra terroristas y extremistas que tratan de imponer su visión brutal sobre el Medio Oriente. Al ayudar a los pueblos israelíes y palestinos a sentar las bases para una paz duradera, estaremos construyendo un futuro más prometedor para la Tierra Santa - y un mundo más seguro para el pueblo estadounidense.

Gracias por escuchar.

Para su publicación inmediata Oficina del Secretario de Prensa 12 de enero de 2008

Etiquetas De Technorati: Discurso Radial del Presidente a la Nación, y Presidente Bush or Republican Debate Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 01/10/08 VIDEO and Red Eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) and Microchip-based device can detect rare tumor cells in bloodstream

President Bush Visits Church of the Nativity VIDEO

President Bush Visits Church of the Nativity FULL STREAMING VIDEO Church of the Nativity Bethlehem Middle East Trip 2:46 P.M. (Local) PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE THE PRESIDENT: Madam Minister, thank you very much for your hospitality. It's been a -- it's been a moving moment for me and the delegation to be here at the Church of the Nativity.

For those of us who practice the Christian faith, there's really no more holy site than the place where our Savior was born.

And I want to thank the government for arranging this trip. I also thank very much the three different churches for welcoming me here. It's a fascinating history in this church, so not only was my soul uplifted, my knowledge of history was enriched.

I want to thank the people of Bethlehem for enduring a presidential trip -- I know it's been inconvenient for you. I very much appreciate your tolerating my entourage. Some day I hope that as a result of a formation of a Palestinian state there won't be walls and checkpoints, that people will be able to move freely in a democratic state. That's the vision, greatly inspired by my belief that there is an Almighty, and a gift of that Almighty to each man, woman and child on the face of the Earth is freedom. And I felt it strongly here today.

Anyway, thank you very much.

END 2:47 P.M. (Local)For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary January 10, 2008

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Republican Debate Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 01/10/08 VIDEO

Fox News is hosting the debate at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center 01/10/08 9 PM EST. All candidates have been invited to participate. FOX LIVE STREAM. As soon as streaming files and transcripts are available they will be posted here. Art Credit: An elephant on his hands. CALL NUMBER: Illus. in AP101.P7 1911 Case X [P&P] REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-89636 (b&w film copy neg.) No known restrictions on publication. Political Party Symbols Republican Elephant FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

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President Bush and Prime Minister Olmert VIDEO

President George W. Bush listens as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel commends him Wednesday, Jan 9, 2008, during their joint press availability in Mr. Olmert’s Jerusalem office. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

President Bush and Prime Minister Olmert Participate in Joint Press Availability (37:17) Prime Minister's Residence Jerusalem Middle East Trip 6:36 P.M. (Local) GALLERY PRIME MINISTER OLMERT: Good evening. I am proud and delighted to welcome President Bush to the Prime Minister's home in Jerusalem. We spent more than two and a half hours talking privately and with the delegations, and this was a very interesting and I think very important meeting, Mr. President.

I think your visit is timely and is very important to encourage the process that you and Secretary Rice helped start in Annapolis a few weeks ago, and that we, both sides, I believe, are very seriously trying to move forward with now, in order to realize the vision of a two-state solution, a Palestinian state for the Palestinian people and the state of Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people and the Jewish state.

I want to thank you, this opportunity, for the friendship and the support for the security of the state of Israel that you have manifested for a long period of time, throughout your tenure as President of the United States of America. This last year you decided to increase the annual support for the state of Israel for an overall package of $30 billion, which is remarkable and important and is very helpful for the future of the state of Israel.

We discussed regional issues and the bilateral relations between Israel and America and, naturally, of course, the progress that we envisage for the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. And I hope, Mr. President, that you felt through these talks that the Israeli team is absolutely committed to carry on these negotiations in a very serious manner, to deal with all the core issues that we need to deal in order to bring about an agreement that will have to be implemented, subject, of course, to the implementation of the road map, as we agreed with the Palestinians and as you have announced in Annapolis in the international meeting. That was a very important and encouraging meeting, with the participation of so many countries coming from the region and from all parts of the world.

We are dealing with serious security problems. Only today the terrorists were shooting many Qassam rockets on the southern part of Israel, and mortar shells, and a few of the rockets landed inside the city of Sderot. This is a serious problem. Israel does not tolerate and will not tolerate the continuation of these vicious attacks on uninvolved and innocent civilians living in our cities. And we made it clear to everyone that we'll take all the necessary measures in order to reach out for those who are responsible for these attacks, and we will not hesitate to take all the necessary measures in order to stop them.

There will be no peace unless terror is stopped, and terror will have to be stopped everywhere. We made it clear to the Palestinians; they know it, and they understand that Gaza must be a part of the package, and that as long as there will be terror from Gaza it will be very, very hard to reach any peaceful understanding between us and the Palestinians.

Mr. President, I want to thank you for your visit, for your efforts, for your friendship, for the power that you used for good causes for this region and for the world. Welcome.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you. I view this as an historic moment. It's a historic opportunity, Mr. Prime Minister, first of all, to work together to deal with the security of Israel and the Palestinian people -- matter of fact, the security of people who just simply want to live in peace.

We're in conflict with radicals and extremists who are willing to murder innocent people to achieve a dark vision. And this is an historic opportunity for the world to fight that -- to fight those terrorists. It's an historic opportunity to spread freedom as a great alternative to their ideology, as a society based upon human rights and human dignity, a society in which every man, woman and child is free. And it's a historic opportunity to work for peace. And I want to thank you for being a partner in peace.

I believe that two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace is in the best interests of America and the world. I believe it's in the long-term security interests of Israel, and I know, to provide a more hopeful society for the Palestinians. And that's why I articulated this vision early in my presidency. And that's why I'm so pleased to have -- to watch two leaders, you and President Abbas, work hard to achieve that vision.

It's in the interests of all of us that that vision come to be. I'm under no illusions, it's going to be hard work. I fully understand that there's going to be some painful political compromises. I fully understand that there's going to be some tough negotiations. And the role of the United States is to help in those negotiations.

It's essential that people understand America cannot dictate the terms of what a state will look like. The only way to have lasting peace, the only way for an agreement to mean anything, is for the two parties to come together and make the difficult choices. But we'll help, and we want to help. If it looks like there needs to be a little pressure, Mr. Prime Minister, you know me well enough to know I'll be more than willing to provide it. I will say the same thing to President Abbas tomorrow, as well.

I come -- you know, people in America say, well, do you really think these guys are serious? We've heard a lot of rhetoric in the past, a lot of grand proclamations. I wouldn't be standing here if I did not believe that you, Mr. Prime Minister, and President Abbas and your negotiators were serious. It is my considered judgment that people now understand the stakes and the opportunity. And our job, Mr. Prime Minister, help you seize that opportunity.

In the rest of my trip I will be talking about the opportunity for Middle Eastern peace, and remind people in the neighborhood that if they truly want to see two states living side by side in peace, they have an obligation, Arab leaders have an obligation to recognize Israel's important contribution to peace and stability in the Middle East, and to encourage and support the Palestinians as they make tough choices. I'm an optimistic people -- people say, do you think it's possible during your presidency, and the answer is, I'm very hopeful and will work hard to that end.

We also talked about Iran. Iran is a threat to world peace. There was a recent intelligence report that came out that I think sent the signal to some that said perhaps the United States does not view an Iran with a nuclear weapon as serious -- as a serious problem. And I want to remind people, Mr. Prime Minister, what I said at the press conference when I discussed that National Intelligence Estimate. I said then that Iran was a threat, Iran is a threat, and Iran will be a threat if the international community does not come together and prevent that nation from the development of the know-how to build a nuclear weapon. A country which once had a secret program can easily restart a secret program. A country which can enrich for civilian purposes can easily transfer that knowledge to a military program. A country which has made statements that it's made about the security of our friend, Israel, is a country that needs to be taken seriously. And the international community must understand with clarity the threat that Iran provides to world peace.

And we will continue to work with European countries, Russia and China, as well as nations in this neighborhood, to make it abundantly clear that -- the threat that Iran poses for world peace.

So we've had a very constructive dialogue, and I'm not surprised. This isn't the first time we've had a chance to visit. Every time we've had I've come away impressed by your steadfast desire to not only protect your people, but to implement a vision that will lead to peace in the long-term. Thanks for having me.

Q Mr. President -- -- (inaudible) -- Iran and Israel's finding about Iran are completely different than the NIE report. Given the duration and the unpopularity of the war in Iraq, thee is a fear, a concern in Israel that your administration will not take the necessary action against Iran.

And the question for Prime Minister Olmert: Did you perhaps present to Mr. Bush positions that run counter to those of the Americans, and perhaps you are concerned that what he said now actually indicates that his hands are tied when it comes to Iran.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Let me remind you what the NIE actually said. It said that as far as the intelligence community could tell, at one time the Iranians had a military -- covert military program that was suspended in 2003 because of international pressure. My attitude is that a non-transparent country, a country which has yet to disclose what it was up to, can easily restart a program. The fact that they suspended the program is heartening in that the international community's response had worked. The fact that they had one is discouraging because they could restart it.

Secondly, there are three aspects to a weapons program. One is the capacity to have -- enrich so that you can have the materials necessary to make a bomb. They're claiming they're enriching for civilian purposes. I believe that knowledge gained for civilian purposes could be transferred for military purposes. Therefore, our efforts are to stop them from enriching.

Secondly, the knowledge of how to convert any materials into a bomb. We don't know whether they have that knowledge or not. However, for the sake of peace, we ought to assume they do, and therefore, rally the world to convince other that they're a threat. Third, they've got missiles in which they can use to deliver the bomb. So no matter how you might have interpreted the NIE, I interpreted it to mean you better take the Iranians' threat seriously.

Secondly, I have always told the American people that I believe it's incumbent upon the American President to solve problems diplomatically. And that's exactly what we're in the process of doing. I believe that pressure -- economic pressure, financial sanctions -- will cause the people inside of Iran to have to make a considered judgment about whether or not it makes sense for them to continue to enrich or face world isolation. The country is paying an economic price for its intransigence and its unwillingness to tell the truth.

The Iranian people -- we have no qualm with Iranian people. I'm sure Israel doesn't either. It's people with a proud history and a great tradition. But they are being misled by their government. The actions of their government are causing there to be isolation and economic stagnation. People went into office saying, we promise you this and we promise you this economic benefit, but they're simply not being delivered. And so we'll continue to keep the pressure on the Iranians, and I believe we can solve this problem diplomatically.

PRIME MINISTER OLMERT: (As translated.) We had a very thorough discussion, which, of course, also covered the Iranian subject, as President Bush said. And we discussed all aspects of this issue, and of course, it goes without saying that we shared with one another what we know and what we -- what the Americans know when it comes to this topic. And without my sharing with you right now all the details, of course, despite the natural curiosity, which I appreciate, I believe that what has just been said now by the President of the United States is particularly important. The President of the largest power in the world, the most important power in the world, is standing right here, and he has said in no uncertain terms that Iran was a threat and remains a threat.

And the fact that it has certain technological capacities is a fact. And through this, it is capable of realizing that potential and creating nuclear weapons. And considering the nature of the government there and the type of threats that they are voicing, one cannot possibly disregard that power, and we must do everything possible to thwart them.

Of course, the United States will decide for itself just what steps to take. I can only say one thing, namely, my impression based on this conversation, as well as previous talks that we had -- and we talk quite frequently, apart from the face- to-face meetings -- my impression is that we have here a leader who is exceptionally determined, exceptionally loyal to the principles in which he believes. He has proven this throughout his term in office in his preparedness to take exceptional measures in order to defend the principles in which he believes, and in his deep commitment to the security of the state of Israel.

Inasmuch as I could sum up all of these impressions this evening, I would say that I certainly am encouraged and reinforced, having heard the position of the United States under the leadership of George Bush, particularly on this subject.

MS. PERINO: Anne Gearan of the Associated Press, please.

Q Mr. President, are you disappointed that the Israelis and the Palestinians haven't made more specific progress since Annapolis, and is it maybe time for you to apply some of that direct pressure you referred to earlier?

And for the Prime Minister, did you offer any new assurances to the President, or do you plan to, that Israel will stop disputed settlement and construction activity?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Step one of any complicated process that is going to require a lot of hard work and serious dialogue, is whether the mind-set is right. It's one thing for somebody to say to the President, sure, we're for a two state -- just to make the President feel okay. That's not the case here. The fundamental questions that I was seeking at Annapolis and on my return trip is the understanding about the power of what a vision will do for peace.

You know, one of the concerns I had was that -- whether it be the unprovoked rocket attacks or the issues of settlement, that the leaders would be so bogged down in the moment that they would lose sight of the potential for a historic agreement. And I've come away with the belief that while those issues are important, and certainly create consternation amongst the respective constituencies, that both leaders are determined to make the hard choices necessary.

Now, implicit in your question is whether or not the President should butt in and actually dictate the end result of the agreement. In my judgment, that would cause there to be a non-lasting agreement. In my judgment, the only way for there to be a vision that means something is for the parties to seriously negotiate that vision. If you're asking me, am I nudging them forward -- well, my trip was a pretty significant nudge, because yesterday they had a meeting -- and by the way, the atmosphere in America was, nothing is going to happen, see, that these issues are too big on the ground; therefore, you two can't get together and come up with any agreements. You just heard the man talk about their desire to deal with core issues, which I guess for the uneducated on the issue, that means dealing with the issues like territory and right of return and Jerusalem. Those are tough issues -- the issue of Israeli security. And they're going to sit down at the table and discuss those issues in seriousness.

I've been briefed today from the Israeli perspective of those discussions. Tomorrow I'll be briefed by the Palestinians about their interpretation.

There's three tracks going on, by the way, during this process. One is the vision track. Let me make sure everybody understands, in our delegation, the goal. The goal is for there to be a clear vision of what a state would look like, so that, for example, reasonable Palestinian leadership can say, here's your choice: You can have the vision of Hamas, which is dangerous and will lead to war and violence, or you can have the vision of a state, which should be hopeful.

The second track is to help both parties deal with road map issues. Settlements is a road map issue; security is a road map issue, in a certain limited sense. Third issue is to help the Palestinians, one, organize their security forces so that they can better assure their own people, and equally importantly, better assure Israel that they can deal with the extremists in their midst. That's what General Dayton is doing here, for example. Or, an economic track. Listen, the best way to make sure that the Palestinians realize there's a hopeful future in which it's in their interests to live at peace with Israel is for them to realize that they've got an economy in which they can make a living. And Tony Blair is helpful on that. And so is America.

And so you're watching three tracks parallel each other. And the one, of course, you're asking about is whether or not the leadership has got the willingness and the desire and the drive to design a state, compatible to both sides, and my answer is, yes, I think they will.

PRIME MINISTER OLMERT: I hope that I don't disappoint anyone, certainly not the President, because we talked at length, if I will say that the President didn't ask for me to make any commitments other than the ones that Israel made already with regard to the peace process and as I addressed, pointed out on many different occasions, including in Annapolis, which, was, as I said, a very important event. The commitment of Israel is absolutely to carry on in this process in order to realize the vision of two states living side by side, as I said before.

Now, there are many issues; settlement is one of the issues. We made clear our position. And I know that sometimes not everyone is happy with this position, but we are very sincere. We were never trying to conceal any of these facts from anyone, starting with President Bush and Secretary Rice, and of course, our Palestinian partners.

They know that there is a moratorium on new settlements and the new expropriation of land in the Territories. And they also know, and we have made it clear that Jerusalem, as far as we are concerned, is not in the same status. And they know that the population centers are not in the same status. And there might be things that will happen in the population centers or in Jerusalem which they may not be in love with, but we will discuss them and we will not hide them. We are not going to build any new settlements or expropriate land in the Territories. We made it clear and we will stand by our commitment. And we will fulfill all our commitments as part of the road map because this is an essential part for any progress that will have to take place in the future.

But there are some aspects only just realized which one can't ignore, and everyone knows that certain things in Jerusalem are not in the same tactical level as they are in other parts of the Territories which are outside the city of Jerusalem. And so it's true about some population centers. So there was nothing that happened that was not known in advance to all our partners in this process. We made clear our positions; we made clear exactly what we can do, what we can't do, what we want to do and what we will not be able to do. And I think that they all know it and they, at least even when sometimes they disagree with us, they at least respect our sincerity and openness about these issues.

Q Mr. President, regarding the issues of rockets and settlements that you mentioned before, what should, what could Israel do regarding the ever-growing threat from Gaza? And regarding the settlements, did you get any new assurances from the Prime Minister regarding the removal of illegal outposts? Do you believe that this time it will be implemented? Do you care about it?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes.

Q Mr. Prime Minister, are you concerned that the core issues are going to be affected? Because a member of Knesset, Mrs. Lieberman, is going to withdraw from the coalition.

PRESIDENT BUSH: As to the rockets, my first question is going to be to President Abbas, what do you intend to do about them? Because ultimately, in order for there to be the existence of a state, there has to be a firm commitment by a Palestinian government to deal with extremists and terrorists who might be willing to use Palestinian Territory as a launching pad into Israel. So I'll be asking that question tomorrow. And what can we do to help you?

I believe that he knows it's not in his interests to have people launching rockets from a part of the Territory into Israel. Matter of fact, maybe the Prime Minister can comment on this in a while, in a second, but at least he's told me that he fully recognizes in order for there to be a state, he cannot be a safe haven for terrorists that want to destroy Israel. You can't expect the Israelis, and I certainly don't, to accept a state on their border which would become a launching pad for terrorist activities. That's why the vision of a democracy is an important vision.

How Israel deals with the rocket attacks I would hope is done in a way that not only protects herself, but worries about innocent life. And I'm convinced the Prime Minister does. He understands he has an obligation to protect Israel. He also understands that he's got to be circumspect and reasonable about how he does it, so that innocent people don't suffer. He just gave you the answer on the settlements.

In terms of outposts, yes, they ought to go. Look, I mean, we've been talking about it for four years. The agreement was, get rid of outposts, illegal outposts, and they ought to go. And --

PRIME MINISTER OLMERT: (As translated) -- earlier, and I say once again -- I think it's important to repeat this -- Israel has commitments and the Palestinians have commitments. We must abide by our commitments, and we shall do so. I do not want to use this as an excuse, as a pretext, and therefore I say, we demand of the Palestinians that they uphold all of their commitments.

And some have not been upheld, not a single one; particularly the most important things that have to do with terrorism, that have to do with the security of the state of Israel -- not only in Gaza. The fact that we, over the past year, have had fewer casualties from terrorism than in any year of the recent years previously is not because the Palestinians have made fewer attempts, but because we have been more successful, in a very sophisticated and courageous way, of our general security service and our ideas in preventing these terrorist acts.

I'm not using this as a pretext. I'm saying we must uphold our commitment. I believe that the President has said this fairly and appropriately. We have made commitments; we should uphold them, and we shall. But let us present a balanced picture. By the same token, we will not refrain from demanding and insisting that the Palestinians abide by all of their commitments. And their commitments when it comes to terrorism are the central key, the pivot to bringing this negotiation process to a successful conclusion. And I hope it will happen this year, as all of us hope.

I very much, sincerely, hope that all of those in the coalition will remain in the coalition as full partners, and I would certainly not like to have a political crisis. I don't think that anyone who is responsible -- has a responsibility such as I have would like to see any kind of an undermining of the stability of this government. It is a stable government, a government that has been operating in many different directions, with very impressive achievements, which the party of Avigdor Lieberman, Yisrael Beytenu, is part of this effort, part of these achievements; whether it's in the economic field or the political one, or when it comes to security, or the deterrence ability of the state of Israel.

And everyone knows that this government has had some very impressive achievements on its record over the past year. And Lieberman's party was certainly a partner in this process, and I'd like them to stay part of the process. I think that the gap between us is smaller than it appears, and I will do everything within my power to ensure that the coalition remains stable. The state of Israel must be part of a serious peace process. We cannot forego this; we cannot obscure it; we must not delay it. It would be wrong to delay it.

Let me say something in Hebrew -- since I know that the President does not speak Hebrew, I'll say it in Hebrew, because, after all, you know, you're not supposed to praise people in their presence, so I'll say it in Hebrew. Well, then, what I'd like to say is, thank God I can conduct political negotiations with George Bush at my side as one of my partners. Thank God we can conduct political negotiations when the largest and most important power in the world, and the most important for us, is headed by such an important friend of Israel.

We have no interest in delaying matters. We don't want to procrastinate with the negotiations, lest changes for the worse take place on the Palestinian front. And we certainly don't want to delay the negotiation process when we have such political assistance, assistance with respect to our security, too, when it comes to the most important power in the world, being led by a person who is so deeply committed to the security of the state of Israel, and to realizing the vision of two states; a person who is fair, who does not hide his viewpoints, who speaks openly about his will to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel, a state that will be secure not at the expense of the interests of the state of Israel.

I believe that any responsible political leader in the state of Israel will understand that this is a moment that must not be missed. This is an opportunity that must not be passed up. We must do everything we can -- okay, we can have occasional internal arguments. The President has said that some very difficult decisions must be made. He is right, but I am not afraid of difficult decisions. I am willing to contend with difficult decisions. I am willing to make decisions that will entail painful compromises, so long as they enable us to reach the goal that we have dreamt of for so long, to ensure ourselves of security, and to give the Palestinians the state of their own that will be vibrant, democratic, open, and living in peace alongside Israel.

At the head of our negotiating team is the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. She bears a very heavy responsibility. We work in full cooperation, and I am convinced that she will wisely succeed, together with Abu Allah, head of the Palestinian team, in navigating through these negotiations in such a manner that the vital interests of the state of Israel are served well on the basis of a deep understanding.

PRESIDENT BUSH: The interpreter got it right. (Laughter.)

PRIME MINISTER OLMERT: Thank you, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes, Toby.

Q Mr. President, what is the United States prepared -- what action is the United States prepared to take if there is another confrontation with Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz? Your National Security Advisor this morning spoke about consequences if there was a repeat.

And, Mr. Prime Minister, why is there no three-way meeting scheduled on this trip?

PRESIDENT BUSH: The National Security Advisor was making it abundantly clear that all options are on the table to protect our assets.

She's referring to, Mr. Prime Minister, the fact that our ships were moving along very peacefully off the Iranian border in territorial water -- international waters, and Iranian boats came out and were very provocative. And it was a dangerous gesture on their part. We have made it clear publicly, and they know our position, and that is, there will be serious consequences if they attack our ships, pure and simple. And my advice to them is, don't do it.

Q Why is there no three-way meeting on this trip?

PRIME MINISTER OLMERT: We had a three-way meeting in the United States just a month ago. We are starting now a serious process directly with the Palestinians. The President met with the Israeli delegation and with me today. He will meet tomorrow with President Mahmoud Abbas, and I'm sure that all the necessary information will be provided and all the curiosity of the President will be satisfied. And ideally, this is a very good and comfortable -- (inaudible.)

I don't rule out, by the way, trilateral meetings. Maybe in the future we'll have trilateral meetings. We are not against it. We just found out at this time in life, considering what we have achieved already and what we are about to start now in a serious manner, that it was not essential in order to fulfill the desires that we all share, which is to move forward in this process between us and the Palestinians.

I can reassure you, and perhaps through you, many of your people in America, that we think -- and I'm sure that the Palestinians think -- that the visit of the President is very, very helpful to the process that we are engaged in, and that it contributes -- and it will contribute a lot to the stability and the very comfortable environment within which we will conduct our negotiations.

And, therefore, I again want to take this opportunity, Mr. President -- now you don't even get -- (laughter) -- to thank you very much; really to thank you for your friendship and your support and the courage that you inspire in all of us to carry on with our obligations. It's not easy. You know, sometimes it's not easy, but when I look at you, and I know what you have to take upon your shoulders and how you do it, the manner in which you do it, the courage that you have, the determination that you have, and your loyalty to the principles that you believe in -- it makes all of us feel that we can also -- in trying to match you, which we can, we can move forward. Thank you very much.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, sir.

END 7:17 P.M. (Local) For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary January 9, 2008

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Mitt Romney New Web Ad, "Twists" VIDEO

From Romney For President - Boston, MA – Today, Romney for President launched its newest web ad, "Twists." In 2000, Senator John McCain personally attacked George Bush's integrity by comparing him to President Clinton. Today, Senator McCain is once again personally attacking his opponent, but this time it's Governor Romney. The truth is that Senator McCain voted against the Bush tax cuts and supported last year's amnesty bill. That's straight talk for being in Washington too long and that's leadership our country cannot afford.

Transcript For "Twists" (WEB:30):

ANNOUNCER: "Remember? Last time John McCain attacked President Bush's integrity."

JOHN MCCAIN: "His ad twists the truth like Clinton. We're all pretty tired of that."

ANNOUNCER: "Comparing Bush to Clinton? He was wrong then, and he's wrong about Mitt Romney now.

"The truth? 'McCain is not as conservative as Romney.'

"'He voted against the Bush tax cuts.'

"On immigration, McCain supported this year's amnesty bill.

"Higher taxes, amnesty for illegals.

"That's straight talk for being in Washington too long."

GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: "I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message."

Technorati Tags: Mitt Romney and or Admiral Details Iranian Challenge to U.S. Ships VIDEO and New York City Fire Command Truck and Solar cells of the future

John McCain Web Ad: "Leadership" VIDEO

From John McCain 2008 - Web Ad: "Leadership" John McCain for President :30 Web Ad "Leadership" January 4, 2008 Contact: Press Office 703-650-5550

Transcript: ANNCR: Mitt Romney compares himself to John McCain and their public service and says, "I've actually been leading".

Mitt Romney leading?

He'd rather call lawyers.

Romney: "You sit down with your attorneys and tell you what you have to do ...

"Uh, you know, we're gonna let the lawyers sort out…"

ANNCR: And bureaucrats.

Romney: Well if we want someone with foreign policy experience, we can simply go to the State Department."

ANNCR: When it comes to leadership, John McCain doesn't have to call anyone.

JSM: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

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