>From the Washington File at http://usinfo.state.gov
Q: Ari, you said yesterday that if we go to war with Iraq, the Iraqi leadership, including Saddam Hussein, would be a legitimate target under international law. Does this mean that if we go to war with Iraq our leadership would be a legitimate target under international law? MR. FLEISCHER: I think you should address that to an international lawyer. But the point remains the same -- our nation is threatened, all people in our nation are threatened by Saddam Hussein having weapons of mass destruction. We know that terrorists desire to strike the United States. We know terrorists desire to strike the leadership of the United States. We don't know definitively if that fourth airplane was heading toward the White House or the Congress. So we do know that we are at war with people who want to seek maximum damage on our country and its leadership. Q: But you made a judgment yesterday under international law that Saddam would be legitimate target. So does that mean our leadership would be a legitimate target? MR. FLEISCHER: Russell, I have no intention of becoming Saddam Hussein's international lawyer. You can find another one.
