Q: Are you satisfied with their performance, then, today?

BUSH: [NOTICE HE DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION] I'm confident that had they found something that was a direct threat to America, they would have brought it to my attention. Now, the 9/11 Commission hearings are going to analyze that which went on and, hopefully, bring recommendations forward to help this administration and future administrations do our solemn duty to protect the American people. And that's why I think the hearings are a good thing, particularly when they address any weaknesses in the system. And Condi mentioned the other day something very interesting, and that is that now may be a time to revamp and reform our intelligence services. And we look forward to hearing recommendations. We're thinking about that, ourselves and we look forward to working with the commission.

[The IRONY here is that Bush fought tooth and nail to prevent the CREATION of the 9/11 Commission; when it was finally created, they appointed CRIMINAL Henry Kissinger as Chairman. Dr. Criminal refused to make public his criminal clients, so he quit. Bush then refused to extend the May deadline of the 9/11 Commission, and finally relented to bi-partisan pressure from John McCain et al. Then they refused to allow Rice to testify.

It's hard to believe Bush can say: "And that's why I think the hearings are a good thing... And we look forward to hearing recommendations. We're thinking about that, ourselves and we look forward to working with the commission..." with a straight face, but then again, he's a professional liar with many years experience.]

QUESTION: What's on the table in the way of reform --

BUSH: [NOTICE HE DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION]Hold on a second, please. Lindlaw, I don't want to lecture you here, but you were given one question and President Mubarak is going to wonder, is the press corps totally out of control here in America. So I'm going to have to cut you off at this point in time.

Q: Thank you, Mr. President.

BUSH: Welcome.

QUESTION: President Bush, in recent days, we've seen a significant deterioration
in the security situation in Iraq. Do you see a serious risk in that such events and the American military response to them would lead to a wider popular resistance to the American presence in Iraq, and would that complicate the process of transferring sovereignty to the Iraqi people?

BUSH: [NOTICE HE DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION]Thank you, and welcome. We will transfer sovereignty. As a matter of fact, the United Nations representative, Brahimi, is in Baghdad as we speak, working with different parties to help devise the system to which we transfer sovereignty. And we look forward to that. Secondly, the situation in Iraq has improved. [IMPROVED: 60 Americans dead in one week; the worst month since Nov. 03] But you're right, it was a tough week, because of — there was lawlessness and gangs that were trying to take the law in their own hands. These were people that were trying to make a statement prior to the transfer of sovereignty that they would get to decide the fate of Iraq, through violence. A civil society, a peaceful society can't grow with people who are willing to kill in order to stop progress. And our job is to provide security for the Iraqi people, so that a transition can take place. And that's what you were seeing. And our job also is to protect American lives. If our soldiers are at risk, they will defend themselves. And I'm proud of the fact that our soldiers did so, mindful that there are innocent Iraqis [some 600 dead in the last few days] often times in-between them and an enemy that is shooting at them. We're a compassionate country that cares about the loss of innocent life. And it grieves us when we see innocent life lost. However, we will defend ourselves. I believe — strongly believe that by far, the vast majority of Iraqis want there to be a peaceful country and a free country. And so the Iraq people are on the side of the transition to a peaceful country. We just can't let a few people — and I say "a few" — listen, there was enough to cause harm, but a few, relative to the rest of the people — you just can't let a small percentage of the Iraqi people decide the fate of everybody, and that's what you're seeing.