in their own words
 |
|
|
|
 Do We Care What Happens In Iran? - White House Press Briefing by Robert Gibbs 6/17/09 — Wednesday, June 17, 2009 —  MR. GIBBS: Yes, ma'am.Q Do we care what happens in Iran? And does both sides -- are they both planning to continue nuclear -- their nuclear development? MR. GIBBS: Well, obviously we care about -- Q The outcome. MR. GIBBS: Of the election? Well, as I said yesterday, Helen, I think regardless of -- and I think the President certainly said this, as well -- regardless of who emerges from this election, there are still two principal national interests that this country has relating to Iran. First is their pursuit of a nuclear weapon, and second is their support and sponsorship of terror. Those are causes and concerns, as I said, that we had the day prior to the election and in the days after the election. I would also say that the President remains committed to engagement and understanding that the principle of national interest that I talked about, the sponsorship of terror and the pursuit of a nuclear weapon, are in many ways policy aspects relating to foreign policy and national security that are controlled by the Supreme Leader, who is likely to be the same regardless of who wins the election. Q So why are we worried? MR. GIBBS: Why are we worried -- Q At all? MR. GIBBS: Well, obviously we have -- Q And how do you know they sponsor terrorism? What is terrorism? I mean, we're in two countries. MR. GIBBS: Well, we can get into a long discussion about the definition of this. I think this one is fairly well held. Q You mean you oppose the status quo? MR. GIBBS: I'm sorry, I don't understand. Q Sponsoring terrorism and terrorists -- the American revolutionaries were called terrorists. MR. GIBBS: Well, I think, leaving aside whatever moniker might have been affixed several hundred years ago -- Q Not that long. MR. GIBBS: Yes, I will -- I think there's a fairly well held definition of what that means today. Yes, sir. Q Following up on her question. Yesterday the President, and you mentioned -- the President addressed this yesterday -- in one of the interviews yesterday, the President said the difference between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi, in terms of their actual policies, may not be as great as has been advertised. Is that U.S. policy, that there's not really much difference between these two candidates and that there's no preference for one over the other? MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think I was asked in this room prior to the election whether this country had a preference. And we're not going to get involved in picking candidates in elections. Q But he did get involved in a way in saying that. What was he trying to say by saying that? MR. GIBBS: Well, I think he was saying exactly what I've said the past two days, and that is, regardless of the outcome of what we're seeing, the United States still has two principal national interests as it relates to the Islamic Republic of Iran: the state sponsorship of terror and the support of terror, as well as their pursuit of a nuclear weapon. I don't think that's likely to be markedly changed, even throughout this process. And it's something that still obviously is a principal concern of our country and something we'll pursue. Q You said not going to be markedly changed -- you mean no matter who is elected here. MR. GIBBS: Right. And I'm echoing what he said in there, as well as, I think, underscoring that our principal national interest, as it relates to Iran, regardless of the outcome, are still going to be the same. Q Is this another way to phrase that, to say it doesn't really matter who wins this election in Iran? MR. GIBBS: No. Again, I'm not going to get involved and our government is not going to get involved in picking a candidate. Obviously there is international concern for the way an election was conducted, and it's being looked into, and certainly, we believe, rightfully so. But at the same time, again, there are principal national interests that we had as a country Thursday, we had before the polls opened -- the moment before the polls opened and the moment after the polls closed. Those remain. Q No preference? No preference? MR. GIBBS: It's just not the policy of this administration to pick the leaders of other countries. Elections | Iran | Obama Administration | Press Briefing | Robert Gibbs | White House Press Corps Labels: Elections, Iran, Obama Administration, Press Briefing, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps >> Full Story
Posted by White House Press Corps @ 7:31:00 PM
|
|
1 Comments:
Post a Comment
< whpc home