Excerpts From Bush Speech

Here are portions of Vice President Bush’s prepared speech to the American Enterprise Institute:

Iran is “a country that deeply humiliated the United States by kidnaping our diplomats and burning our flag. And we still have vivid memories of blindfolded Americans being paraded around our own embassy in Tehran. There is in the hearts of the American people an understandable animosity--a hatred really--to Khomeini’s Iran. I feel that way myself, to be very honest with you, and so does the President who has been vilified time and again by Iran’s radical leaders; we’re told that most Iranians feel the same animosity toward us, the country they call the Great Satan. . . .

“And still, the question remains of how the Administration could violate its own policy of not selling arms to Iran. Simple human hope explains it perhaps better than anything else. The President hoped that we could open a channel that would serve the interests of the U.S. and of our allies in a variety of ways. Call it leadership; give 20-20 hindsight and call it a mistaken tactic if you want to; it was risky, but potentially of long-term value. . . .

“When you are President, any American held captive against his will anywhere in the world, is like your own son or daughter. But you must remain true to your principles. I can tell you the President is absolutely convinced that he did not swap arms for hostages. . . .

“We may not like the current Iranian regime but it would be irresponsible to ignore its political and strategic importance. . . . Khomeini will pass from the scene. A successor regime will take power and we must be positioned to serve America’s interests, and indeed, the interests of the entire free world. . . .

“Although the Iranians themselves aren’t holding our hostages, we believe they have influence over those who do hold some of our hostages. . . .

“I’d like to say something about my own role in all of this. I was aware of our Iran initiative and I support the President’s decision. I was not aware of and oppose any diversion of funds, and ransom payments, or any circumvention of the will of the Congress and the laws of the United States of America. As the various investigations proceed, I have this to say--let the chips fall where they may. We want the truth. The President wants it. I want it. And the American people have a right to it. And if the truth hurts so be it.

“A storm is now raging. But when the full truth is known, and it will be, and when the American people come to understand that this strong and honest President moves swiftly to correct what might have been wrong, then a forgiving American people--in spite of their misgivings about Iran and weapons and diverted funds--will say, ‘Our President told the truth. He took action. Let’s go forward together.’ ”