Can American Values Be Bought, and If So, At What Cost?

According to the President, the fact we are spending nearly two hundred billion dollars (not to mention, daily deaths of American's and their blood spilled in the sand) demonstrates that we have not lost our values. Or at least that's what it seems like when you review his interview by a German reporter. What do you think?

Q Then let me ask you about the image of the United States, especially for us Germans after the war, the United States stood as the symbol of liberty, for democracy. And then we saw these -- we saw Abu Ghraib, we saw Guantanamo, and these seemed suddenly to be signals that you're abandoning these values of democracy and liberty. And how do you want to repair them?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, it's absurd to say America is abandoning our values. No question Abu Ghraib was a disgrace for our country. But I think people ought to take a look at what happened afterwards -- and those who are responsible for that disgraceful behavior have been held to account, have been tried, have been, in some cases, dismissed from our military.

We're at war with an enemy. And we've got to protect ourselves. And, obviously, the Guantanamo issue is a sensitive issue for people. I very much would like to end Guantanamo; I very much would like to get people to a court. And we're waiting for our Supreme Court to give us a decision as to whether the people need to have a fair trial in a civilian court or in a military court.

But in either case, they will get a trial which they, themselves, were unwilling to give to the people that they're willing to kill -- "they," the enemy.

And so it's -- no, listen, our country is strong on human rights and civil rights. That's why we're leading the case in funding for HIV/AIDS in Africa. That's why we're trying to rally the nation to do something about Darfur -- the genocide in Darfur. That's why we provide food for the hungry. That's why we try to liberate people when we find them in the clutches of tyranny.

Q So you said you had to do more?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, we are doing a lot.

Q I understand, like, $320 billion that the Iraq war cost -- a lot of people are saying --

THE PRESIDENT: It's worth it. It's worth it. I wouldn't have spent it if it wasn't worth it. Any time we put a troop in harm's way, they will get support. We're not going -- I'm not going to ask a parent -- I'm not going to be able to tell a parent, nor will I tell a parent your son, who volunteered, or your daughter who volunteered is not going to get the full support of the federal government. And so long as we've got people in harm's way, this government is going to support them.

Q Let me ask you another question to the war on terrorism. How do you want, really, to fight terrorism when you are so dependent on Arabian oil?

THE PRESIDENT: That's an interesting question. I've never thought of it that way. The first thing we ought to do is get off oil.

Q That's what you said.

THE PRESIDENT: And I mean that. Yes, I know.

Q Do you mean that, really?

THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely. Oil has become -- it's an economic risk for us. I mean, after all, if the oil -- if the demand for oil goes up in India or China, fast-growing economies, it affects the price of gasoline in the United States and in Germany. It's also a national security issue, obviously. Oil comes from unstable parts of the world. So I'm absolutely serious about getting off of oil.

Q Because we, in Europe, we asked this when we heard your speech, and we said oil is now --

THE PRESIDENT: You don't believe old George W.?

Q Gasoline is now, let's say $70 a barrel. And we said if we look at the United States, your gasoline is still so -- I mean, the prices are so low, and we are paying so much money. Why haven't you raise taxes, energy taxes or something if you really mean it?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, because the best way to do it is through technological change. You don't have to tax the working people. And, well, in order -- what?

Q That's what we do. (Laughter.)