State: President cheers on Navy troops

JACKSONVILLE -- On the eve of another United Nations showdown with Iraq, President Bush came to the Mayport Naval Station Thursday to boost military morale and issue a challenge to the U.N.

"The decision is this for the United Nations: When you say something, does it mean anything? You've got to decide, if you lay down a resolution, does it mean anything?" asked Bush, who wore a pale-green aviator jacket over his suit and was flanked by a Navy frigate and guided missile cruiser.

"I'm optimistic that the U.N. Security Council will rise to its responsibilities and this time ensure enforcement of what it told Saddam Hussein he must do. See, I believe when it's all said and done, free nations will not allow the United Nations to fade into history as an ineffective, irrelevant debating society."

It was Bush's 13th trip to the state that narrowly won him the presidency and where he first learned America was under attack by terrorists. Cheers erupted often from the sea of light-blue Navy shirts surrounding him.

Many of the men and women at Mayport served in Afghanistan last year, and the president hailed them for defending the country "against a new kind of enemy."

Rallying the troops wasn't the only purpose of his trip to Florida. The president also sought to highlight his economic policies and show that domestic concerns are not getting overshadowed by Iraq.

Before arriving at the Naval base, the president stopped at a Jacksonville print shop to tout his proposed tax cuts and lead a roundtable discussion with hand-picked small business owners he said would see tax savings.

Critics of his tax plan say it would do little to stimulate the economy while increasing the deficit. Their argument was bolstered earlier this week by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who told Congress he was skeptical of the proposal.

But Bush stood by it Thursday, suggesting that it would both help the economy and provide badly needed reform to the federal tax code.

"This is a realistic plan. It is a hopeful plan. It is a plan based upon sound principle. It is a plan which will work," Bush said. "But there are some who haven't gotten the message yet, and they need to hear from you."

The president's brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, said this week that he worried prolonged war in Iraq could hurt Florida's tourism-dependent economy. He publicly kept those concerns to himself Thursday as he joined his brother in cheering the troops and their families at Mayport.

No Mayport ships have yet been deployed to the Gulf region, though some helicopter squadrons have been. Many of the Navy personnel awaiting the president said the base was edgy but said they were ready, even eager, to participate.

"I will be scared. I think everybody will," said 18-year-old Michael Pirnie. "But I want to serve. That's my job. On Sept. 11, I cried that day, but it showed me how much I love this country and how I want to fight for it."

Bush said Hussein was aiding and protecting al-Qaida terrorists and deceiving inspectors about his chemical and biological weapons programs and efforts to obtain material for nuclear weapons.

"At any moment during the last 97 days -- and during the last 12 years -- Saddam Hussein could have completely and immediately disarmed himself. Instead, he's used all this time to build and to hide weapons. He must be hoping that by stalling he'll buy himself another 12 years. He's wrong," Bush said to applause at the base.

About 50 people protested, chanting "Drop Bush, not bombs" as the president's car passed.

But the motorcade also passed a big, more supportive banner: "Mr. President, tell Saddam to stop his grinning & and drop his linen!"

-- Adam C. Smith can be reached at (727) 893-8241 or adam@sptimes.com .

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