World Bulletin
 | | President Obama, speaking at the General Assembly today, said the US is prepared to act “boldly and collectively” to tackle global issues. UN photo/Marco Castro. |
We’re Back, Obama Says, Now Work
With Us
By Barbara Crossette
Sept. 23 -- President Barack Obama, making his first appearance on the opening day of the United Nations General Assembly debate, spoke forcefully today about his commitment to act “boldly and collectively” in tackling shared global issues, heralding “a new era of engagement with the world.”
But pre-empting the usual litany of complaints about the United States and other rich nations that often mark this event, he was equally pointed in challenging those governments accustomed to “an almost reflexive using anti-Americanism, which too often has served as an excuse for collective inaction.”
“Make no mistake: this cannot be solely America’s endeavor,” Obama told the audience of dignitaries that packed the General Assembly chamber to the walls and welcomed him with applause. “Those who chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world’s problems alone.”
In his speech, the president ranged over decisions his administration made so far that demonstrated a new approach to foreign policy, including prohibiting torture, ordering the closing of the Guantánamo Bay detention center, paying America’s bills to the UN, joining the UN Human Rights Council and opposing new Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.
“America will live its values,” he said. He also reiterated, however, his pledge to a continued fight against terrorism, in particular Al Qaeda, leaving it “no safe havens.”
In Obama’s speech, interrupted about 10 times by mostly polite applause, he mentioned four pillars of his international policy. Unlike others who spoke today, he named nuclear nonproliferation – not climate change or the global economy – first, and peace and security second among his priorities.
On nuclear arms, the president said he was committed to ratifying the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which President Clinton signed, only to see it defeated in the Senate. Obama said that the US would continue to pursue arms reductions in talks with Russia, would conduct a review of its nuclear activities and policies and would press for an international agreement against the spread of fissile nuclear materials. The administration plans to hold a summit on nuclear nonproliferation in April 2010.
While he did not name Israel, India and Pakistan, which have nuclear weapons but have refused to sign the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, other administration officials say they will be pressing those countries to sign as well. Obama did say that Iran and North Korea had to live up to the NPT’s obligations. Both countries signed the treaty, although North Korea announced it was withdrawing.
Addressing peace and security, the president drew applause by saying that the US would strengthen support for peacekeeping in the Darfur region of Sudan and would be more active in aiding other UN missions around the world.
Obama acknowledged US shortcomings on measures to halt or reverse climate change when he said: “The days when America dragged its feet on this issue are over.” But he also reiterated Washington’s position that efforts to curb global carbon emissions must involve the large developing nations. China now ranks first, ahead of the US, as an emitter, with Russia and India in third and fourth places.
On this issue, the US received a boost from China’s president, Hu Jintao, on Tuesday, when Hu said at a climate meeting convened by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that his government would take concrete steps to tackle its problems. President Obama, on the other hand, has yet to see climate legislation passed through the US Senate. That legislation will help him play a stronger hand at a world conference in Copenhagen in December that is charged with rewriting the Kyoto Protocol, a 1997 worldwide emissions agreement.
Turning to the global economy, the president looked ahead to talks among the 20 leading economic powers in Pittsburgh this week, when such as issues as a rethinking of the work of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank will be put on the table by developing nations. This was a major theme of the speech today by Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
“In Pittsburgh, we will work with the world’s largest economies to chart a course for
growth that is balanced and sustained,” Obama said. “That means vigilance to ensure that we do not let up until our people are back to work. That means taking steps to rekindle demand, so that a global recovery can be sustained. And that means setting new rules of the road and strengthening regulation for all financial centers, so that we put an end to the greed, excess and abuse that led us into disaster and prevent a crisis like this from ever happening again.”
“This body was founded on the belief that the nations of the world can solve their problems together,” Obama said of the UN, speaking more broadly and philosophically about his hopes. He said that finger-pointing in the UN and speeches from the podium by leaders that go against the interests of their own people are to be deplored.
“We have reached a pivotal moment,” he said. “The United States stands ready to begin a new chapter of international cooperation – one that recognizes the rights and responsibilities of all nations. With confidence in our cause, and with a commitment to our values, we call on all nations to join us in building the future that our people deserve.”
Barbara Crossette is the United Nations correspondent for The Nation and former New York Times UN bureau chief.
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