Wild West President Heads East

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WILD WEST PRESIDENT HEADS EAST ON ARM-TWISTING TRIP TO CHINA

One Likely Aim is to Get Chinese-Afghan Border Opened 
in Case Pakistan Goes Down the Tubes.

 "Wherever There Is Terrorism, We Need a War," Says Unelected President
 Dismisses Fears for His Safety; Says "We Have Hidey Holes All Over China"


http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_package.html?FRONTID=NATIONAL&PACKAGEID=bush&STORYID=APIS7F6O7D00&SLUG=BUSH

OCTOBER 17, 09:12 EDT 

BUSH IS HEADING TO CHINA TODAY

by Scott Lindlaw
Associated Press Writer 

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush, embarking Wednesday for China, said
he is leaving at a difficult time for the nation but that the trip is
an important part of the government's effort to defeat terrorism and
make the world a safer place.

"I think it is very important for me to go, to not only discuss our
economic interests and our bilateral interests, but to continue to
talk about the war on terrorism," Bush said in an interview with
Asian news editors.

The trip to the 21-nation gathering of Asian-Pacific leaders in
Shanghai will take Bush out of the country for five days in the midst
of U.S. airstrikes against Taliban targets in Afghanistan. Vice
President Dick Cheney, who worked most of last week from a secret
secure location away from the White House, walked Bush out to the
South Lawn to say goodbye. Congressional leaders who had breakfast
with the president also saw him off.

"I leave at a very difficult time in my country because of these
terrorist attacks, the recent anthrax that has made it in the news,"
Bush said in the Oval Office interview Tuesday. A transcript was
released by the White House on Wednesday.

"On the other hand, I think it is very important for me to go, to
not only discuss our economic interests and our bilateral interests
but to continue to talk about the war on terrorism," he said.

"It's also important for my nation to see that I leave because ...
international affairs are a still very important part of making the
world more safe."

In the same interview, Bush said he understands the "political
consequences of making tough decisions" such as going to war.

"You mark my words, people are going to get tired of the war on
terrorism, and by the way, it may take more than two years. There's a
variety of theaters. So long as anybody is terrorizing established
governments there needs to be a war. And so I've asked - you said one
or two years - I envision something taking longer than that," said
Bush, who last week predicted the war on terrorism could last one or
two years.

"Now maybe the Afghan theater will be shorter than that," Bush
said. "Who knows? But we're patient."

The White House said Bush would have no problem overseeing the war
from afar. "Telephones work," spokesman Ari Fleischer said. With
the superb communications available to the president, Fleischer said,
"He will be in frequent contact with everybody he needs to be in
contact with throughout."

Administration officials said the trip was still scheduled to run its
entire course, but noted that it could be trimmed if necessary for
Bush to return to Washington before Monday.

The United States remained on high alert for new terror attacks, but
White House officials dismissed questions about Bush's security at
the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

"The president has absolute faith in the Secret Service to secure
his safety," Fleischer said. "Presidents before have traveled to
places that were dangerous, and Shanghai certainly does not fit that
description."

Air space was restricted over Shanghai for the summit, 10,000 police
officers and security personnel were guarding the streets and more
than 100 roadblocks were in place to screen people entering the city.

Some meetings at the forum were to be in Shanghai's Jinmao Building,
the world's third-tallest skyscraper.

Bush believes it is critical to promote trade at the meeting to help
the struggling U.S. economy, officials said.

"This is an opportunity to spur, through discussions with key
leaders there, strong economic global recovery," national security
adviser Condoleezza Rice said.

Though it is an economic gathering, the terrorist attacks will loom
large over the forum.

APEC is working on a statement against terrorism but apparently with
no mention of either Osama bin Laden or the U.S.-led strikes in
Afghanistan.

A copy obtained by The Associated Press describes the Sept. 11 terror
attacks on the United States an assault on "APEC's vision of free,
open and prosperous economies" and "a profound threat to the peace,
prosperity and security of all people, of all faiths, of every
nation."

APEC leaders, including Bush, are expected to wrap up Sunday with a
statement saying they will "strive to prevent and suppress terrorist
acts in the future, and express their strong support for all efforts
aimed at strengthening (an) international anti-terrorist regime,"
according to a draft circulating in Shanghai.
 
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