Bush: Israel to Respond if Attacked
Wed Oct 16, 3:58 PM ET
By STEVE WEIZMAN, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush (news - web sites), calling Saddam
Hussein (news - web sites) a dangerous man, said Wednesday after meeting
with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) that he was certain
Sharon would retaliate if Iraq attacked Israel.
Bush gave no indication in an Oval Office news
conference that he had tried to restrain Sharon, who
already has said his country could not stand by if
attacked.
"If Iraq were to attack, I am sure the prime minister
will respond," Bush said.
Sharon, in brief remarks, said Israel had never had a
better friend in the White House than Bush. "We
never had such cooperaition in everything as we have
with the current administration."
Bush's father, by contrast, pressured Israel to stay
out of the Persian Gulf War (news - web sites) in
1991, and then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir
complied, even after Iraq hit Israel with 39 Scud
missiles.
"He's got a desire to defend himself," Bush said of
Sharon's situation.
Bush said Saddam has to understand the
international community would not condone an attack
on Israel or any other country. "He is a dangerous
man. He has gassed his own people. That's why he
has to be disarmed," Bush said. |
