White House Press Briefing

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
February 2, 2001

PRESS BRIEFING BY ARI FLEISCHER

Kingsmill Resort
Williamsburg, Virginia

Q: Ari, a question on Iraq. Does the $4 million authorized for use by
the Iraqi opposition represent a stepped-up U.S. effort against Saddam
Hussein?

MR. FLEISCHER: The $4 million grant to the INC that was mentioned in
the article you reference was initiated and appropriated in 1999. This
was FY 2000 money intended to help the INC to gather information
inside Iraq to help build a case against Iraqi leadership for crimes
against humanity. A license application was submitted to OFAC under
the previous administration to spend the money inside Iraq. And since
passage of the Iraq Liberation Act in 1998, the United States has
worked to try to improve the capabilities of the Iraqi opposition.
This is a further step in that process, and it is consistent with
President Bush's support for the Iraqi opposition. So this ties back
to the previous legislation.

Q: It's not a stepped-up effort, then?

MR. FLEISCHER: No, this is in accordance with previously passed
legislation.

Q: And what was the title of that legislation again, please?

MR. FLEISCHER: This was an appropriation item --

Q: But since passage of the what act in 1998?

MR. FLEISCHER: Appropriated in '99 - let me refer you back to Mary
Ellen for a little of the background on the legislation. The part I'm
more familiar with is the appropriated funds that passed in the
Congress and was signed by the previous President.

Q: And at that appropriation were those funds appropriated for use
within the national boundaries of Iraq, and this does not represent a
new policy in the Bush administration?

MR. FLEISCHER: It is consistent with the legislation previously passed
and signed into law.