President Obama Addresses the U.N. Then Hosts the G-20 Summit

It’s an incredibly busy week for President Obama. He started the week off at the 5th annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York. Next the president met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbbas where is said, “Simply put, it is past time to stop talking about starting negotiations, and time to move forward.”

Today (Wednesday) he addressed the U.N. General Assembly. It is a very interesting speech and well worth listening or reading in its entirety. He begin the speech with this quote:

“I took office at a time when many around the world had come to view America with skepticism and distrust. Part of this was due to misperceptions and misinformation about my country. Part of this was due to opposition to specific policies, and a belief that on certain critical issues, America has acted unilaterally, without regard for the interests of others. And this has fed an almost reflexive anti-Americanism, which too often has served as an excuse for collective inaction.

“Now, like all of you, my responsibility is to act in the interest of my nation and my people, and I will never apologize for defending those interests. But it is my deeply held belief that in the year 2009 -- more than at any point in human history -- the interests of nations and peoples are shared. The religious convictions that we hold in our hearts can forge new bonds among people, or they can tear us apart. The technology we harness can light the path to peace, or forever darken it. The energy we use can sustain our planet, or destroy it. What happens to the hope of a single child -- anywhere -- can enrich our world, or impoverish it.

He then asked those attending to consider all actions he had taken in his nine months in office, after telling them “We know the future will be forged by deeds and not simply words. Speeches alone will not solve our problems -- it will take persistent action”

“This is what we have already done. But this is just a beginning. Some of our actions have yielded progress. Some have laid the groundwork for progress in the future. But make no mistake: This cannot solely be America's endeavor. Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world's problems alone. We have sought -- in word and deed -- a new era of engagement with the world. And now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.

“Now, if we are honest with ourselves, we need to admit that we are not living up to that responsibility. Consider the course that we're on if we fail to confront the status quo: Extremists sowing terror in pockets of the world; protracted conflicts that grind on and on; genocide; mass atrocities; more nations with nuclear weapons; melting ice caps and ravaged populations; persistent poverty and pandemic disease. I say this not to sow fear, but to state a fact: The magnitude of our challenges has yet to be met by the measure of our actions.

He touched on the “goal of a world without nuclear weapons,” pursuing peace in the Middle East, and the economic crisis. And after telling the United Nations all that the U.S. has recently “paid our bills” by re-engaing in the United Nations, joining the Human Rights Council and signing the Convention of the Rights of Personas with Disabilities and “embraced the Millennium Development Goals, he chastised them that America cannot do it alone.

“This is what we have already done. But this is just a beginning. Some of our actions have yielded progress. Some have laid the groundwork for progress in the future. But make no mistake: This cannot solely be America's endeavor. Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world's problems alone. We have sought -- in word and deed -- a new era of engagement with the world. And now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.

“Now, if we are honest with ourselves, we need to admit that we are not living up to that responsibility. Consider the course that we're on if we fail to confront the status quo: Extremists sowing terror in pockets of the world; protracted conflicts that grind on and on; genocide; mass atrocities; more nations with nuclear weapons; melting ice caps and ravaged populations; persistent poverty and pandemic disease. I say this not to sow fear, but to state a fact: The magnitude of our challenges has yet to be met by the measure of our actions.”

It was a powerful speech.

Tomorrow President Obama will host the G-20 summit in Pittsburg, PA. It will be a two-day meeting with heads of state and finance ministers from 18 other nations and the European Union. The recovery of the global recession will be the top priority.

This is a recognition that Pittsburgh is a world-class city," Mr. Obama said in explaining is choice of the city. "That it represents the transition of the U.S. economy from [an] industrial state to a mix of strong industry -- steel -- but also now biotech and clean energy. It has transformed itself, after some very tough times, into a city that's competing in the world economy.” (Pittsburg Post-Gazette)

Cheri Cabot

Cheri is a freelance writer living in Southern California.  She has two grown children and is the proud grandmother of three.

You can find Cheri’s home page at www.ccabot.gather.com

Her weekly political column “Personal About Politics”, can be found at www.personalpolitics.gather.com as well as “The Obama Watch” at www.theobamawatch.gather.com.