U.S. Condemns Car Bombing in Iraq
White House Report, August 7: Iraq, Gore, Cheney/Rumsfeld/Myers
The U.S. strongly condemns the car bombing that occurred outside of the Jordanian embassy in Iraq August 7, said Bush
spokesperson Clair Buchan.
"We condemn it in the strongest possible terms," said Buchan, speaking to reporters in Crawford, Texas.
The bomb exploded midmorning in Baghdad, killing at least 11 and injuring more than 65 people, said news reports.
"There are remnants of the former regime in Iraq, and there are foreign terrorists in Iraq, both of whom are enemies of
the Iraqi people. And we will continue to pursue them and to rout them out," said Buchan.
Buchan said there is no assessment yet as to whether the attack was the work of the former regime or foreign terrorists.
The U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority, the group responsible for Iraqi reconstruction, is currently in charge of
investigating the bombing.
Asked about the earlier August 6 terrorist attack in Jakarata, Indonesia, Buchan said, "We continue to stand ready to
assist the Megawati administration in any way possible."
WHITE HOUSE DISMISSES GORE COMMENTS AT NYU
Asked about criticisms former Vice President Al Gore made about the Bush Administration in an August 7 speech at New
York University, Buchan said, "I dismiss the comments that he made."
Gore made critical comments of the administration's handling of the war in Iraq.
"(T)he American people know that the president's committed to (the) security of the United States and to winning the war
on terror and to securing our economic security -- and I think the American people well know the president's commitment
to them," said Buchan.
BUSH TO MEET WITH RUMSFELD, MYERS, CHENEY
Vice President Richard Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General
Richard Meyers, meet with Bush August 8 at his Crawford ranch to talk "about the administration's ongoing commitment to
transform the military to meet the challenges of the 21st century," said Buchan.
"(I)t will give the leadership an opportunity to review broad strategies and priorities for the military."
The discussions are expected to focus on the global war on terrorism, the overseas basing issues, international
peacekeeping, and lessons of the Iraqi Freedom operation.