UNITED NATIONS — President Barack Obama challenged the Arab world to use its newfound embrace of democracy to ensure protection for freedom of religion and speech and even life, using the last address of his first term to the General Assembly on Tuesday to call for a renewed focus on the “painstaking work of reform.”
Obama took on a number of issues at play between America and the Muslim world, vowing that the “United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon” and warning that time to diplomatically resolve the Iranian nuclear issue “is not unlimited.”
But he refused to go further than what he has said in the past, that “a nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained,” despite pleas from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to establish a new red line.
“America wants to resolve this issue through diplomacy, and we believe there is still time and space to do so,” Obama said.
But he spent most of his 30-minute speech on the Arab democracy movement and its fallout.
Just two weeks after the beginning of violent anti-American protests that led to the killing of four Americans in Benghazi, Libya, Obama vowed that even as the United States works to bring the killers to justice, he will not back down from his support of democratic freedoms in the Muslim world. But he also gave a spirited defense of U.S. freedom of speech and the spirit of tolerance that allowed the inflammatory anti-Muslim video that prompted the protests.
While condemning the “crude and disgusting” video that prompted the protests in Libya and throughout the Muslim world, the president worked to explain why the United States values so highly its First Amendment.
“We do so because in a diverse society, efforts to restrict speech can become a tool to silence critics, or oppress minorities,” Obama said. “We do so because given the power of faith in our lives, and the passion that religious differences can inflame, the strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression, it is more speech — the voices of tolerance that rally against bigotry and blasphemy, and lift up the values of understanding and mutual respect.”
And he said pointedly that “there is no speech that justifies mindless violence.”
“There are no words that excuse the killing of innocents,” Obama said. “There is no video that justifies an attack on an embassy. There is no slander that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant in Lebanon, or destroy a school in Tunis.”
Breaking down Obama’s speech
Highlights of what President Barack Obama said and didn’t say in his address to the United Nations General Assembly:
WHAT HE SAID
Anti-American protests: The killing of Ambassador Chris Stevens and other attacks on U.S. embassies overseas were attacks on America. The United States will track down the killers relentlessly and bring them to justice. Peace and diplomacy must prevail over violence and intolerance. The anti-Muslim film that sparked anger was crude and disgusting, an insult to Muslims and America. It must be rejected. But the U.S. won’t ban it because the Constitution protects free speech. World leaders must speak out against violence and extremism.
Arab spring: Supporting change in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya put the U.S. on the side of democracy and the people in those countries seeking to realize their aspirations. Freedom is a universal value. Despite challenges in making the transition, government by the people brings stability, prosperity and peace in the long run. Democracy also is advancing in Africa and Burma.
Mideast peace: Israelis and Palestinians must not turn their backs on peace. All must recognize Israel’s right to exist. The goal is clear: a secure, Jewish state of Israel and an independent, prosperous Palestine.
Syria: Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime must end. The end of war in Syria cannot lead to sectarian violence. All must have a say in the future Syria.
Iran: The Iranian government has failed to demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful. The U.S. will do whatever it takes to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Afghanistan: The transition has begun and the U.S. and its allies are on track to end the war in 2014. Al-Qaeda is weakened and Osama bin Laden is dead.
Global economics: Through the G-20, rich and emerging powers have worked together on an economic recovery. The U.S. has aided developing nations by breaking their dependency, fighting corruption and helping African governments feed their people.
WHAT HE DIDN’T SAY
China: Obama steered clear of the various territorial disputes embroiling Asia. The U.S. has been concerned by aggressive posturing by Beijing in the resource-rich South China Sea and in its dispute with Japan over several islands.
North Korea: No mention of nuclear-armed North Korea or its ballistic missile testing.
Russia: He spoke of Washington and Moscow reducing their nuclear weapons. But that was it on the difficult relationship between the former Cold War foes, which the president sought to “reset” at the beginning of his term. Geopolitical disagreements between the U.S. and Russia have hampered international efforts to halt the violence in Syria.
Europe: The world economy may have averted disaster after the 2008 financial meltdown, but a new danger has emerged: European debt. U.S. officials worry that Europe’s woes risk dragging the United States and many other economies back into recession. The Obama administration has largely sat on the sidelines, urging European countries to sort out their own mess.
The Associated Press
