Q Is the President ready to go to war with Iraq?

MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, as the President said in his State of the Union, the President is prepared to take whatever action is necessary to protect the United States, protect our allies, and to protect the peace internationally. And I can assure you that no decisions have been made beyond the first phase of the war on terrorism. The President has been very plainspoken with the American people about the need to fight the war on terrorism wherever terrorism is. And he's focused right now on Afghanistan, but the President has been very clear that time is not on our side because of the threats posed by nations and terrorists against the United States.

Q Does he know of any connection with the current fight against terrorism by Iraq? Does he have any evidence?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, when the President referred to the axis of evil, and identified North Korea, Iran and Iraq, what the President was referring to is their -- not only their support of terrorism, which is plain -- they are on the State Department list of terrorist states -- but also their development of weapons of mass destruction, their willingness in the case of several of those nations to export technology and material and provide weapons of mass destruction. And the President does fear the marrying of any of these nations with terrorist organizations.

Q Well, we have weapons of mass destruction and we don't permit any inspection.

MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, if you're suggesting that there's a moral equivalence between the United States' success in keeping the peace for 60 years with our weapons and the actions of terrorists, I would urge you to reexamine that premise. I see no moral equivalence.

Q Senator Daschle said yesterday that it's right to take a very close look at the problems presented by Iran, Iraq and North Korea, but the President should be careful with the kind of rhetoric he used by labeling them the axis of evil. Any response to that?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, Senator Daschle's remarks are confusing because it appears that he has changed from what he said the night of the State of the Union address when the President spoke to the nation about the axis of evil. Let me cite for you what Senator Daschle said in an interview on January 30th with Good Morning America.

When asked specifically about the President's reference to the axis of evil, Senator Daschle said, "We know that we've got to take more preventive action, and the President outlined some of the steps last night, and I think the Congress supports him, Charlie." And he continued, "And if it takes preemptive strikes, if it takes preemptive action, I think the Congress is prepared to support it." So it just seems that something has changed with Senator Daschle or perhaps he has had a change of opinion, but it does not appear that he is perfectly consistent.

Q In those comments he didn't say anything about the President's phrase, axis of evil. This is the first time he has come out and said that phrase is a little hot.

MR. FLEISCHER: That's why I raise it then. When he had a chance to say that when interviewed the morning after the speech, he indicated otherwise, because he was asked in that interview exactly about the axis of evil. And, at that time, he had nothing negative to say about it. In fact, he went on to indicate that the Congress would support the President if the President deemed it necessary to take action.

Q Ari, in the drug control strategy opening statement, the President talks about how internationally, drugs finance the work of terrorists, profits fund their work. As you know, in Afghanistan, the poppy crop is about to be replanted in March. What is the United States prepared to do about the crop? Will we wipe it out? Are we going to do anything to stop Afghanistan from becoming the heroin capital of the world?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, there's no question that drug use has a direct funding for terrorists; that casual drug users, non-casual drug users, serious drug abusers, as a result of their purchase of drugs, it ultimately does support many terrorist organizations around the world.

In Afghanistan, this is a topic that has been discussed with the Interim Chairman of Afghanistan. It is an issue that the Afghani government is concerned with, and I think that as a result of the prosecution of the war against terrorism, you will see a diminution of the amount of poppy in Afghanistan that is exported for drugs. Can we eradicate all of it? Is that a possibility? I don't think anybody is prepared to say that will happen in a country that is as lacking in central control as Afghanistan. But it will represent an improvement because there will be a diminution of the supply.

Q But are you saying that this is Chairman Karzai's job, or will this become a function of the U.S. military? Chairman Karzai has said that they will eliminate drug-trafficking, but they've also got a big job on their hands in order to do it.

MR. FLEISCHER: They have a big job on their hands. I think you will see the United States in a variety of means be helpful to the government of Afghanistan. I'm not indicating that's anything that the military will play a role in, but the United States wants to work with the government of Afghanistan to help eradicate their drug crops.

Q Why not take a more proactive role, rather than just being a helper? Why wouldn't the military actually go in and do some of the work here?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, when it comes not only to eradication of drugs in Afghanistan, but helping Afghanistan become an independent, strong nation, the United States is going to be working to train Afghanistan's military, and that's something which Chairman Karzai and the President talked about. Chairman Karzai recognizes the importance for Afghanistan to be able to stand on its own feet and take action across the board, not only in this one area of drug production, but in terms of law enforcement and rule of law and openness, transparency, in Afghanistan. He wants to create an Afghanistan that is able to take care of its own matters. And the United States will be helpful to Afghanistan in that endeavor.

The United States won't do everything for Afghanistan. We cannot and we should not. But the United States will help Afghanistan in a number of areas, including drug eradication.

Q I just want to be clear on this. You're saying that the United States will not take any direct action to eliminate heroin in Afghanistan going forward?

MR. FLEISCHER: No, I didn't say that. I talked about the role of the military. I said the United States will continue to work productively with Afghanistan. And a number of steps have not all been determined. They are a young country. They are just -- still in a state of war. So there will be a series of developing actions with Afghanistan, not all of which can be known right now.

Q You are saying the U.S. military would not take a part in eradicating --

MR. FLEISCHER: Ron, I have heard no discussion about the United States military taking part in that role. Now, again, I want to stress that Afghanistan is a young country. There will be continued actions with Afghanistan. Afghanistan is still in the middle of a war. But not all steps can be known with how we're going to cooperate with Afghanistan, because, again, there are still an interim government. They don't know all the steps they'll be able to take. But across the board, the United States wants to be helpful and work with Afghanistan. It's in both our nation's interests.

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