... let me mention a couple things. As the President has said for some time now, Iraq is a central front in the war on terrorism. Wherever you stood before the decision to go into Iraq, I think we can all recognize that the terrorists have made it a central front in the war on terrorism. That's why, as the President said earlier today, we are fighting the terrorists in Iraq so that we don't have to fight them here at home. And that's where things are. And that's why the terrorists understand how high the stakes are. We understand how high the stakes are. And that's why it's so important that we succeed in Iraq, because when we succeed in Iraq and Afghanistan, that will be -- those will be major blows to the terrorists and their ideology that they seek to spread.

...Q The report suggested that there's concern that Egyptians, Jordanians and others will go back to their home countries, using the techniques they've learned in Iraq to destabilize those countries. MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I don't know what your question is. Q Are you concerned about that? Do you think there's potential for that? MR. McCLELLAN: Iraq is a central front in the war on terrorism. In terms of what's your question on it, I think you're making the assumption that these individuals would just be sitting around sipping tea, as Secretary Rice likes to refer to in her previous comments. So I don't know what your question is regarding that. Q The training and the hosting -- MR. McCLELLAN: These are dangerous individuals that are operating in Iraq, and we're on the offensive, going after them, working with Iraqi security forces to defeat them in Iraq, so that -- we're fighting them there, so that we don't have to fight them here. This is all part of the war on terrorism, and that's why we're going after them and seeking to bring them to justice.

...Q Just following up on that question, you said at the outset of that, the terrorists have made it a central front in the war on terrorism. I thought it was a central front in the war on terrorism before we invaded. MR. McCLELLAN: It is. It's part of the war on terrorism, yes. Q It was. MR. McCLELLAN: No, it is. Q It is now -- MR. McCLELLAN: Both. Q Was it prior to -- MR. McCLELLAN: Both. It's part of the war on terrorism, David. Go ahead. Q On Social Security, Scott -- MR. McCLELLAN: We know that Iraq was a state sponsor of terrorism. They were on our state sponsor of terrorism list. We can go back through that, if you want. Q With Republican lawmakers now proceeding with legislation that does not include private retirement accounts, the natural question is, would the President sign any such legislation -- a bill that does not have the private retirement accounts he wants. MR. McCLELLAN: Mark, I know that there's a Washington, D.C. process game that goes on, and that's what this is all part of right now. The President is interested in solving what is a serious problem when it comes to Social Security. Social Security is on an unsustainable course. That's why the President outlined his approach for doing two things -- one, making Social Security permanently sound for future generations; and two, making it a better deal for future generations through voluntary personal accounts. A voluntary personal account will give them the option of realizing a better rate of return on their retirement savings, much better than what they're realizing in the current Social Security system. And the President believes this is a time when we ought to be welcoming all ideas and putting ideas on the table, not taking ideas off the table. And that's the approach that he has taken. He welcomes all those who are committed to coming forward with ideas for solving this problem. Republicans have been coming forward with ideas to move forward on legislation to save and strengthen Social Security. The President appreciates that. We would hope that Democratic leaders would start coming forward with ideas instead of simply saying, no, to every idea that is offered or every solution that is put on the table. Senator Bennett said Democrats had -- Democratic leaders have said they want to be prepared to work on legislation that included personal accounts, so he put forward an idea to get legislation moving. He essentially called the bluff of the Democratic leadership, and it appears the Democratic leadership really isn't intent on working to get something done for the American people; they're intent on putting up a stop sign and saying, no, we're not going to let this problem be solved. And the American people expect better. They don't want their leaders standing in the way of solutions, they want their leaders putting ideas on the table and offering solutions. And that's what we're doing. The President laid out his principles, and he said, all ideas are on the table, after laying out those principles. And that's how we're proceeding. And the President believes that when it comes to a solution, we need to make it permanently sound, and personal accounts need to be part of that solution in order to make it a better deal for future generations.