FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Posted by Clinton/Gore Email October 28, 1992 BUSH ON "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": CHARACTER AND COVER-UPS [Statement by George Stephanopoulos, Communications Director] What can you say about the "character" of a president who continually lies to the American people in order to evade the consequences of his foreign policy blunders? Today, on Good Morning America, George Bush continued the cover-up of his involvement in the arms-for-hostages and Iraqgate scandals. It was just the latest in his evolving story of his role in these fiascos. BUSH ON IRAQGATE: "We had a policy on dual use. We had a policy to screen to be sure that key elements did not go for nuclear weapons or for arms. Now if a Tandy computer or an IBM personal computer ends up in a nuclear program, too bad. But the policy was to not do that." THE COVER-UP: In fact, the Bush administration's only "screening" of these "dual use" exports was to ask the exporter if it was for military purposes. If the exporter said no, the export was allowed. According to Commerce Department computer printouts, the Department of Energy approved 162 licenses for dual use nuclear components to Iraq between 1985-1990. [Rep. Sam Gejdenson, Washington Post, 10/19/92] THE COVER-UP: The administration well knew that the Iraqis were using U.S. exports to build up its war machine. A memorandum of July 25, 1990, initialed by James Baker, acknowledges that "Iraq is actively engaged in developing chemical and biological weapons and ballistic missile systems, and may be seeking to develop nuclear weapons as well. Iraq has been attempting to obtain items to support these proliferation activities from U.S. exporters, in some cases successfully." THE COVER UP: The former head of the United Nations nuclear inspection team in Iraq, David Kay, confirms that it wasn't just stray personal computers that fed Saddam's war machine. "There was U.S. equipment there," Kay said on the Today show on October 21, "and certainly U.S. technology." He added that the equipment included "the most advanced personal computer[s], 486 machines, Sun work stations, very high performance fluorinated document oil used in centrifuges." Kay led three nuclear inspection in Iraq after the Persian Gulf War and found electron-beam welding machines made in the United States that U.N. inspectors discovered at Iraqi nuclear development sites. "I was surprised when I heard [Bush's] statements. It's not completely true. It's a considerable exaggeration, as a matter of fact." BUSH ON IRAN CONTRA: Asked about his involvement in the arms-for-hostages deal, Bush said, "And so Iran-Contra -- I've explained it. I've testified under oath, and I think if somebody had found something wrong, they would have had my neck on it." THE COVER-UP: Bush has never made public his testimony "under oath." The transcript of his testimony to the special prosecutor, and the notes of his interview with the Tower Commission, are still secret. Moreover, he testified at a time he was publicly claiming to be "out of the loop" on arms-for-hostages. THE COVER-UP: Moreover, the independent counsel is preparing his final report on Iran-Contra, as required by law. It has not yet been released. Bush can't claim to be "cleared" until that report is released. George Bush can't claim vindication while hiding the evidence. It's time for him to come clean on his administration's foreign policy scandals. George Bush should release his testimony to the Tower Commission and the special prosecutor. And he should ask the special prosecutor to release his report on Bush now -- before the election -- so that the American people can learn the full story.