by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright Sept. 23, 2009
All Rights Reserved.

          Speaking to the United Nations’ General Assembly, President Barack Obama set a different tone than his predecessor, former President George W. Bush.  Instead of carrying a big stick, Obama offered more humility, promising America would do its part as a world citizen but expect more from those receiving foreign aid.  “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,” Barack told the General Assembly.  While the audience was polite, he did not receive the sizzling ovations typical of past speech-making.  Obama’s theme echoed vaguely that of former President John F. Kennedy, who asked not only what America could do for the world but what the world could do to better mankind.  Obama spoke before reliable firebrand, Libyan President Gen. Moammar Gadhafi.

            Barack asked the U.N. to take a fresh look at American intentions, setting a new tone of respect for member states.   “Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges,” hinting at such hot-button issues as “global warming” and Iran’s nuclear ambitions.  Only last week Barack reached out to Russia, canceling Bush’s missile defense plans for Poland and the Czech Republic.  Bush cut deals with Boeing Space Systems and went forward with missile defense plans over the loud objections of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.  Antagonizing Russia last summer resulted in a strong military response in Georgia and threat to take action against missile defense installations in Poland and the Czech Republic.  Bush, and his U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, did everything to antagonize Russia.

            Despite the flowery rhetoric, Obama has committed himself to halting Iran’s nuclear ambitions.  So far, Iran has shown no willingness to suspend its uranium enrichment program, denying any attempt to build A-bombs.  Speaking after Gadhafi’s diatribe, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who, only a day before, threatened Israel and denied the Holocaust, warned the U.S. and Israel about any attempt attack the “Iranian Nation.”  Ahmadinejad has no qualms about threatening Israel, whipping up anti-Semitism and hijacking the Palestinian cause to divert attention from what many see as a covert atomic military program.  “Nothing is easier than blaming others for our troubles and absolving ourselves of responsibility for our choices and our actions,” said Obama, putting belligerent states, like Iran and North Korea, on notice that it won’t solve world problems.

            Calling the U.N. Security Council the “Terror Council,” Gadhafi’s ranted about how smaller nation’s were treated with contempt by the five, veto-wielding powers, including the U.S., U.K., France, Russia and China.  Gadhafi, who stirred controversy recently giving a hero’s welcome to Pan Am Flight 103’s Lockerbie bomber, railed against the U.N. for not stopping 64 wars since its inception in 1945.  Former President Ronald Reagan ordered Libya bombed April 15, 1986, only 10 days after a Libyan apparently bombed a Berlin nightclub frequented by American servicemen.  Pan Am Flight 103’s bombing, resulting in the deaths of 190 Americans, was viewed as Gadhafi’s revenge.  Over the years, Gadhafi tried to redeem himself, paying billions to Pan Am Flight 103s’ bombing victims and dismantling his nuclear program under U.N. supervision in 2003.

            Obama’s overriding message to the U.N. was that the U.S. strives to respect all member-states equally.  “No one nation can or should try to dominate another nation,” said Barack, asking the U.N. to take a greater role in its own destiny.  “That is the future America wants—a future of peace and prosperity that we can only reach if we recognize that all nations have rights, but all nations have responsibilities as well.”  Listening to Gadhafi and Ahmandinejad rant belies Obama’s wish for a U.N. that respects the rights of all nations, not just those with veto-wielding power on the Security Council.  Obama urged all nations to strive toward peace, not just pay lip service.  He challenged the U.S. to deal with the nuclear ambitions or North Korea and Iran who seek to destabilize world peace.  “The world must stand together to demonstrate that international law is not an empty promise,” said Barack.

            Asking for more than the status quo, Obama promised the U.S. would meet all nations halfway, encouraging mutual cooperation in achieving common goals.  He reset relations with a more respectful tone yet warned the U.N. not to expect the U.S. to solve the world’s problems without greater global cooperation.  “The world must stand together to demonstrate that international law is not an empty promise,” said Barack, insisting the U.S. would do more to support a new climate change treaty.  Bush was reluctant to commit U.S. resources to support green house gas limitations, fearing it would adversely affect U.S. GDP.  With the U.S. still trying to shake off a stubborn recession, Barack faces an uphill battle getting the GOP to back an international climate treaty.  Despite Barack’s conservative critics, he set the right tone and opened the door for improving U.S. global relations.

 John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.