QUESTION: You say this is not personal, but you’ve also pointed out this was a man [Hussein] who tried to murder your father. What is your greeting today?
BUSH: "Good riddance. The world is better off without you, Mr. Saddam Hussein. And I find it very interesting that when the heat got on you dug yourself a hole and you crawled in it. And our brave troops, combined with good intelligence, found you. And you’ll be brought to justice, something you did not afford the people you brutalized in your own country." And what was the first part of the question?

QUESTION: I know you scoffed at the idea of a negotiation. (CROSSTALK)
BUSH: Oh, yes, yes. How do you know I scoffed at it? Laughing does not mean scoffing. (LAUGHTER)...

BUSH: Yes, well, people can read whatever they want to read into it. My job is to keep America secure. That’s my job. I’ve got a solemn duty to do everything I can to protect the American people. I will never forget the lessons of September the 11th, 2001. Terrorists attacked us. They killed thousands of our fellow citizens. And it could happen again. And therefore I will deal with threats, threats that are emerging and real.

We gave Saddam Hussein plenty of time to heed the demands of the world and he chose defiance. He did. He said, "Forget it. I don’t care what the United Nations has said over a decade. I don’t care about all the resolutions passed." He chose defiance; we acted.

And I acted because, I repeat, I have a duty to protect this country and I will continue to protect the country so long as I’m the president of the United States.