YouSaid · the spoken record

Barack Obama

lines on the record: 291
first: 2009-09-24
most recent: 2016-09-24
sittings or episodes: 8
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“And what is the role of the United Nations and international law in meeting cries for justice? Today, I want to outline where the United States of America stands on those issues. With respect to Syria, we believe that, as a starting point, the international community must enforce the ban on chemical weapons. When I stated my willingness to order a limited strike against the Al-Assad regime in response to its brazen use of chemical weapons, I did not do so lightly. I did so because I believe that it is in the national security interests of the United States and in the interest of the world to meaningfully enforce a prohibition whose origins are older than the United Nations itself. The ban against the use of chemical weapons, even in war, has been agreed to by 98 percent of humanity.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Al-Assad’s traditional allies have propped him up, citing principles of sovereignty to shield his regime. On 21 August, the regime used chemical weapons in an attack that killed more than 1,000 people, including hundreds of children. Today, the crisis in Syria and the destabilization of the region goes to the heart of broader challenges that the international community must now confront. How should we respond to conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa — conflicts between countries, but also conflicts within them? How do we address the choice between standing callously by while children are subjected to nerve gas and embroiling ourselves in someone else’s civil war? What is the role of force in resolving disputes that threaten the stability of a region and undermine all basic standards of civilized conduct?”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Sectarian conflict has re-emerged, and the potential spread of weapons of mass destruction continues to cast a shadow over the pursuit of peace. Nowhere have we seen those trends converge more powerfully than in Syria. There, peaceful protests against an authoritarian regime were met with repression and slaughter. In the face of such carnage, many retreated to their sectarian identities — Alawite and Sunni, Christian and Kurd — and the situation spiralled into civil war. The international community recognized the stakes early on, but our response has not matched the scale of the challenge. Aid cannot keep pace with the suffering of the wounded and displaced. A peace process is stillborn. America and others have worked to bolster the moderate opposition, but extremist groups have still taken root to exploit the crisis.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In Pakistan, nearly 100 people were recently killed by suicide bombers outside a church. In Iraq, killings and car bombs continue to be a terrible part of life. Meanwhile, Al-Qaida has splintered into regional networks and militias, which does not give them the capacity at this point to carry out attacks like 9/11 but does pose serious threats to Governments and diplomats, businesses and civilians all across the globe. Just as significantly, the convulsions in the Middle East and North Africa have laid bare deep divisions within societies, as an old order is upended and people grapple with what is coming next. Peaceful movements have too often been answered by violence from those resisting change and from extremists trying to hijack change.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We are transferring detainees to other countries and trying terrorists in courts of law, while working diligently to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay. Just as we have reviewed how we deploy our extraordinary military capabilities in a way that lives up to our ideals, we have begun to review the way that we gather intelligence, so that we properly balance the legitimate security concerns of our citizens and allies with the privacy concerns that all people share. As a result of such work and cooperation with allies and partners, the world is more stable than it was five years ago. But even a glance at today’s headlines indicates that dangers remain. In Kenya, we have seen terrorists target innocent civilians in a crowded shopping mall. Our hearts go out to the families of those who have been affected.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Five years ago nearly 180,000 Americans were serving in harm’s way, and the war in Iraq was the dominant issue in our relationship with the rest of the world. Today, all of our troops have left Iraq. Next year an international coalition will end its war in Afghanistan, having achieved its mission of dismantling the core of Al Qaida that attacked us on 9/11. For the United States, those new circumstances have also meant shifting away from a perpetual war footing. Beyond bringing our troops home we have limited the use of drones so that they target only those who pose a continuing imminent threat to the United States, when capture is not feasible and when there is a near certainty of no civilian casualties.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“And for much of my tenure as President, some of our most urgent challenges have revolved around an increasingly integrated global economy and our efforts to recover from the worst economic crisis of our lifetime. Now, five years after the global economy collapsed and thanks to coordinated efforts by the countries here today, jobs are being created, global financial systems have stabilized and people are once again being lifted out of poverty. But this progress is fragile and unequal, and we still have work to do together to assure that our citizens can access the opportunities that they need in order to thrive in the twenty-first century. Together, we have also worked to end a decade of war.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“They gave us this institution, believing that it could allow us to resolve conflicts, enforce rules of behaviour and build habits of cooperation that would grow stronger over time. For decades, the United Nations has in fact made a difference, from helping to eradicate disease to educating children and brokering peace. But like every generation of leaders, we face new and profound challenges, and this body continues to be tested. The question is whether we possess the wisdom and the courage as nation States and members of an international community to squarely meet those challenges. Can the United Nations meet the test of our time?”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Each year we come together to reaffirm the founding vision of this institution. For most of recorded history, individual aspirations were subject to the whims of tyrants and empires, and divisions of race, religion and tribe were settled through the sword and the clash of armies. The idea that nations and peoples could come together in peace to solve their disputes and advance a common prosperity seemed unimaginable. It took the awful carnage of two world wars to shift our thinking. The leaders who built the United Nations were not naive. They did not think that this body could eradicate all wars. But in the wake of millions dead and continents in rubble and with the development of nuclear weapons that could annihilate a planet, they understood that humanity could not survive the course it was on.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I promise you this: long after the killers are brought to justice, Chris Stevens’s legacy will live on in the lives that he touched, in the tens of thousands who marched against violence through the streets of Benghazi; in the Libyans who changed their Facebook photo to one of Chris; in the signs that read simply, “Chris Stevens was a friend to all Libyans”. They should give us hope. They should remind us that so long as we work for it justice will be done, that history is on our side and that a rising tide of liberty will never be reversed.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“They tell us that there is a common heartbeat to humanity. So much attention in our world turns to what divides us. That is what we see on the news. That is what consumes our political debates. But when you strip it all away, people everywhere long for the freedom to determine their destiny; the dignity that comes with work; the comfort that comes with faith; and the justice that exists when Governments serve their people and not the other way around. The United States of America will always stand up for these aspirations, for our own people and for people all across the world. That was our founding purpose. That is what our history shows. That is what Chris Stevens worked for throughout his life.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Later today, I will discuss our efforts to combat the scourge of human trafficking. All those things give me hope. But what gives me the most hope is not the actions taken by us, not the actions of leaders; it is the people that I have seen — the American troops who have risked their lives and sacrificed their limbs for strangers half a world away, the students in Jakarta or Seoul who are eager to use their knowledge to benefit mankind, the faces in a square in Prague or a parliament in Ghana who see democracy giving voice to their aspirations, the young people in the favelas of Rio and the schools of Mumbai whose eyes shine with promise. Those men, women, and children of every race and every faith remind me that for every angry mob that gets shown on television, there are billions around the world who share similar hopes and dreams.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Nations have come together to lock down nuclear materials, and America and Russia are reducing our arsenals. We have seen hard choices made, from Naypyidaw to Cairo to Abidjan, to put more power in the hands of citizens. At a time of economic challenge, the world has come together to broaden prosperity. Through the Group of 20, we have partnered with emerging countries to keep the world on the path of recovery. America has pursued a development agenda that fuels growth and breaks dependency, and has worked with African leaders to help them feed their nations. New partnerships have been forged to combat corruption and promote government that is open and transparent, and new commitments have been made through the Equal Futures Partnership to ensure that women and girls can fully participate in politics and pursue opportunity.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Europe, the bloodiest battlefield of the twentieth century, is united, free and at peace. From Brazil to South Africa, from Turkey to South Korea, from India to Indonesia, people of different races, religions and traditions have lifted millions out of poverty, while respecting the rights of their citizens and meeting their responsibilities as nations. It is because of the progress that I have witnessed in my own lifetime, the progress that I have witnessed after nearly four years as President, that I remain ever hopeful about the world that we live in. The war in Iraq is over. American troops have come home. We have begun a transition in Afghanistan, and America and our allies will end our war on schedule in 2014. Al-Qaida has been weakened, and Osama bin Laden is no more.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It risks triggering a nuclear-arms race in the region and the unravelling of the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. That is why a coalition of countries is holding the Iranian Government accountable, and that is why the United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. We know from painful experience that the path to security and prosperity does not lie outside the boundaries of international law and respect for human rights. That is why this institution was established, from the rubble of conflict. That is why liberty triumphed over tyranny in the cold war, and that is the lesson of the last two decades as well. History shows that peace and progress come to those who make the right choices. Nations in every part of the world have travelled this difficult path.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“But just as it restricts the rights of its own people, the Iranian Government continues to prop up a dictator in Damascus and supports terrorist groups abroad. Time and again, it has failed to take the opportunity to demonstrate that its nuclear programme is peaceful and to meet its obligations to the United Nations. So let me be clear. America wants to resolve this issue through diplomacy, and we believe that there is still time and space to do so. But that time is not unlimited. We respect the right of nations to access peaceful nuclear power, but one of the purposes of the United Nations is to see that we harness that power for peace. Make no mistake: a nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained. It would threaten the elimination of Israel, the security of Gulf nations and the stability of the global economy.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Together, we must stand with those Syrians who believe in a different vision: a Syria that is united and inclusive, where children do not need to fear their own Government and all Syrians have a say in how they are governed, Sunnis and Alawites, Kurds and Christians. That is what America stands for. That is the outcome that we will work for, with sanctions and consequences for those who persecute, and assistance and support for those who work for this common good, because we believe that the Syrians who embrace this vision will have the strength and the legitimacy to lead. In Iran, we see where the path of a violent and unaccountable ideology leads. The Iranian people have a remarkable and ancient history, and many Iranians wish to enjoy peace and prosperity alongside their neighbours.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The road is hard, but the destination is clear: a secure, Jewish State of Israel and an independent, prosperous Palestine. Understanding that such a peace must come through a just agreement between the parties, America will walk alongside all who are prepared to make that journey. In Syria, the future must not belong to a dictator who massacres his people. If there is a cause that cries out for protest in the world today, peaceful protest, it is a regime that tortures children and shoots rockets at apartment buildings. We must remain engaged to ensure that what began with citizens demanding their rights does not end in a cycle of sectarian violence.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“But to be credible, those who condemn that slander must also condemn the hate we see in the images of Jesus Christ that are desecrated, or churches that are destroyed, or the Holocaust that is denied. Let us condemn incitement against Sufi Muslims and Shia pilgrims. It is time to heed the words of Gandhi: “Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit”. Together we must work towards a world where we are strengthened by our differences, not defined by them. That is what America embodies; that is the vision that we will support. Among Israelis and Palestinians, the future must not belong to those who turn their backs on the prospect of peace. Let us leave behind those who thrive on conflict, those who reject the right of Israel to exist.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The future must not belong to those who target Coptic Christians in Egypt; it must be claimed by those in Tahrir Square who chanted, “Muslims, Christians, we are one.” The future must not belong to those who bully women; it must be shaped by girls who go to school, and those who stand for a world where our daughters can live their dreams just like our sons. The future must not belong to those corrupt few who steal a country’s resources; it must be won by the students and entrepreneurs, the workers and business owners who seek a broader prosperity for all people. Those are the women and men that America stands with; theirs is the vision we will support. The future must not belong to those who slander the Prophet of Islam.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“The same impulses towards extremism are used to justify war between Sunni and Shia, between tribes and clans. It leads not to strength and prosperity but to chaos. In less than two years, we have seen largely peaceful protests bring more change to Muslim-majority countries than a decade of violence. And extremists understand this. Because they have nothing to offer to improve the lives of people, violence is their only way to stay relevant. They do not build; they only destroy. It is time to leave the call to violence and the politics of division behind. On so many issues, we face a choice between the promise of the future or the prisons of the past. And we cannot afford to get it wrong. We must seize this moment. And America stands ready to work with all who are willing to embrace a better future.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“For partnerships to be effective, our citizens must be secure and our efforts must be welcomed. A politics based only on anger — one based on dividing the world between us and them — not only sets back international cooperation, it ultimately undermines those who tolerate it. All of us have an interest in standing up to those forces. Let us remember that Muslims have suffered the most at the hands of extremism. On the same day that our civilians were killed in Benghazi, a Turkish police officer was murdered in Istanbul only days before his wedding; more than 10 Yemenis were killed in a car bomb in Sana’a; several Afghan children were mourned by their parents just days after they were killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul. The impulse towards intolerance and violence may initially be focused on the West, but over time it cannot be contained.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“That brand of politics only makes it harder to achieve what we must do together, namely, to educate our children and create the opportunities that they deserve; protect human rights and extend democracy’s promise. It should be understood that America will never retreat from the world. We will bring to justice those who harm our citizens and our friends, and we will stand with our allies. We are willing to partner with countries around the world to deepen ties of trade and investment, science and technology, energy and development — all efforts that can spark economic growth for all our peoples and stabilize democratic change. But such efforts depend on a spirit of mutual interest and mutual respect. No Government or company, no school or non-governmental organization will be confident working in a country where its people are endangered.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“It is time to marginalize those who, even when not directly resorting to violence, use hatred of America, or the West, or Israel, as the central organizing principle of politics. For that only gives cover, and sometimes provides an excuse, for those who do resort to violence. That brand of politics, one that pits East against West, and South against North, Muslims against Christians and Hindus and Jews, cannot deliver on the promise of freedom. To young people, it offers only false hope. Burning an American f lag does nothing to provide a child with an education. Smashing apart a restaurant does not fill an empty stomach. Attacking an embassy will not create a single job.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“More broadly, the events of the past two weeks also speak to the need for all of us to honestly address the tensions between the West and the Arab world, which is moving towards democracy. Now, let me be clear: just as we cannot solve every problem in the world, the United States has not and will not seek to dictate the outcome of democratic transitions abroad. We do not expect other nations to agree with us on every issue, nor do we assume that the violence of the past weeks or the hateful speech of some individuals represents the views of the overwhelming majority of Muslims, any more than the views of the people who produced that video represent those of Americans. However, I do believe that it is the obligation of all leaders in all countries to speak out forcefully against violence and extremism.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“But in 2012, at a time when anyone with a cell phone can spread offensive views around the world with the click of a button, the notion that we can control the f low of information is obsolete. The question then is how do we respond? And on this we must agree: there is no speech that justifies mindless violence. There are no words that excuse the killing of innocents. 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, or cause death and destruction in Pakistan. In our modern world with modern technologies, for us to respond in that way to hateful speech empowers any individual who engages in such speech to create chaos around the world. We empower the worst of us if that is how we respond.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“We do not do so because we support hateful speech, but because our founders understood that without such protections, the capacity of individuals to express their own views and practise their own faith may be threatened. We do so because in a diverse society, efforts to restrict speech can quickly become a tool to silence critics and oppress minorities. 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. I know that not all countries in this body share that particular understanding of the protection of free speech. We recognize that.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I know there are some who ask why we do not just ban such a video. And the answer is enshrined in our laws; our Constitution protects the right to practice free speech. Here in the United States, countless publications provoke offence. Like me, the majority of Americans are Christian, and yet we do not ban blasphemy against our most sacred beliefs. As President of our country and Commander-in-Chief of our military, I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so. Americans have fought and died around the globe to protect the right of all people to express their views, even views that we profoundly disagree with.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“That is what we saw play out in the last two weeks, as a crude and disgusting video sparked outrage throughout the Muslim world. Now, I have made it clear that the United States Government had nothing to do with that video, and I believe its message must be rejected by all who respect our common humanity. It is an insult not only to Muslims, but to America as well, for as the city outside these walls makes clear, we are a country that has welcomed people of every race and every faith. We are home to Muslims, who worship across our country. We not only respect the freedom of religion, we have laws that protect individuals from being harmed because of how they look or what they believe. We understand why people take offence at that video, because millions of our citizens are among those people.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Moreover, there will always be those who reject human progress — dictators who cling to power, corrupt interests that depend upon the status quo, and extremists who fan the flames of hate and division. From Northern Ireland to South Asia, from Africa to the Americas, from the Balkans to the Pacific Rim, we have witnessed convulsions that can accompany transitions to a new political order. At times, the conflicts arise along the fault lines of race or tribe, and often they arise from the difficulties of reconciling tradition and faith with the diversity and interdependence of the modern world. In every country, there are those who find different religious beliefs threatening; in every culture, those who love freedom for themselves must ask themselves how much they are willing to tolerate freedom for others.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Nelson Mandela once said, “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others”. True democracy demands that citizens cannot be thrown in jail because of what they believe and that businesses can be opened without paying a bribe. It depends on the freedom of citizens to speak their minds and assemble without fear and on the rule of law and due process, which guarantee the rights of all people. In other words, true democracy — real freedom — is hard work. Those in power have to resist the temptation to crack down on dissidents. In hard economic times, countries may be tempted to rally the people around perceived enemies at home and abroad, rather than focusing on the painstaking work of reform.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“For the first time in decades, Tunisians, Egyptians and Libyans voted for new leaders in elections that were credible, competitive and fair. That democratic spirit has not been restricted to the Arab world. Over the past year, we have seen peaceful transitions of power in Malawi and Senegal and a new President in Somalia. In Burma, a President has freed political prisoners and opened a closed society, a courageous dissident has been elected to Parliament, and people look forward to further reform. Around the globe, people are making their voices heard, insisting on their innate dignity and the right to determine their future. And yet the turmoil of recent weeks reminds us that the path to democracy does not end with the casting of a ballot.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“And as we meet here, we again declare that the regime of Bashar Al-Assad must come to an end, so that the suffering of the Syrian people can stop and a new dawn can begin. We have taken those positions because we believe that freedom and self-determination are not unique to one culture. Those values are not simply American values or Western values — they are universal values. And even as there will be huge challenges that come with a transition to democracy, I am convinced that, ultimately, Government of the people, by the people and for the people is more likely to bring about the stability, prosperity and individual opportunity that serve as the basis for peace in our world. So, let us remember that this is a season of progress.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Since then, the world has been captivated by the transformation that has taken place, and the United States has supported the forces of change. We were inspired by the Tunisian protests that toppled a dictator, because we recognized our own beliefs in the aspirations of the men and women who took to the streets. We supported change in Egypt, because our support for democracy ultimately put us on the side of the people. We welcomed a transition of leadership in Yemen, because the interests of the people were no longer being served by a corrupt status quo. We intervened in Libya alongside a broad coalition and with the mandate of the United Nations Security Council, because we had the ability to stop the slaughter of innocents and because we believed that the aspirations of the people were more powerful than a tyrant.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“If we are serious about upholding those ideals, it will not be enough to put more guards in front of an Embassy or to put out statements of regret and wait for the outrage to pass. If we are serious about those ideals, we must speak honestly about the deeper causes of the crisis, because we face a choice between the forces that would drive us apart and the hopes we hold in common. Today, we must affirm that our future will be determined by people like Chris Stevens, and not by his killers. Today, we must declare that such violence and intolerance has no place among our United Nations. It has been less than two years since a vendor in Tunisia set himself on fire to protest the oppressive corruption in his country and sparked what became known as the Arab Spring.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I also appreciate that, in recent days, the leaders of other countries in the region — including Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen — have taken steps to secure our diplomatic facilities and called for calm. So have religious authorities around the globe. But it should be understood that the attacks of the last two weeks are not simply an assault on America. They are also an assault on the very ideals upon which the United Nations was founded — the notion that people can resolve their differences peacefully; that diplomacy can take the place of war, and that, in an interdependent world, all of us have a stake in working towards greater opportunity and security for our citizens.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“Like his fellow Foreign Service officers, he built bridges across oceans and cultures and was deeply invested in the international cooperation that the United Nations represents. He acted with humility, but he also stood up for a set of principles, a belief that individuals should be free to determine their own destiny and live with liberty, dignity, justice and opportunity. The attacks on the American civilians in Benghazi were attacks on America. We are grateful for the assistance we received from the Libyan Government and from the Libyan people. There should be no doubt that we will be relentless in tracking down the killers and bringing them to justice.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“As America’s representative, he helped the Libyan people as they coped with violent conflict, cared for the wounded and crafted a vision for the future in which the rights of all Libyans would be respected. After the revolution, he supported the birth of a new democracy as Libyans held elections and built new institutions and began to move forward after decades of dictatorship. Chris Stevens loved his work. He took pride in the country he served, and he saw dignity in the people that he met. Two weeks ago, he travelled to Benghazi to review plans to establish a new cultural center and modernize a hospital. That is when America’s compound came under attack. Along with three of his colleagues, Chris was killed in the city that he had helped to save. He was 52 years old. I tell this story because Chris Stevens embodied the best of America.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“I would like to begin today by telling the Assembly about an American named Chris Stevens. Chris was born in a town called Grass Valley, California, the son of a lawyer and a musician. As a young man, Chris joined the Peace Corps and taught English in Morocco, and he came to love and respect the people of North Africa and the Middle East. He would carry that commitment throughout his life. As a diplomat, he worked from Egypt to Syria, from Saudi Arabia to Libya. He was known for walking the streets of the cities where he worked, tasting the local food, meeting as many people as he could, speaking Arabic, listening with a broad smile. Chris went to Benghazi, arriving on a cargo ship, in the early days of the Libyan revolution.”
2012-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 67 (2012)
“So, together, let us be resolved to see that it is defined by our hopes and not by our fears. Together, let us make peace — but a peace, most importantly, that will last.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Yet that is precisely why we have built institutions like this — to bind our fates together, to help us recognize ourselves in each other — because those who came before us believed that peace is preferable to war, and freedom is preferable to suppression, and prosperity is preferable to poverty. That is the message that comes not from capitals, but from citizens, from our people. When the cornerstone of this very building was put in place, President Truman came here to New York and said, “The United Nations is essentially an expression of the moral nature of man’s aspirations” — the moral nature of man’s aspirations. As we live in a world that is changing at a breathtaking pace, that is a lesson that we must never forget. Peace is hard, but we know that it is possible.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“But let us never forget that even as we gather here as Heads of different Governments, we represent citizens who share the same basic aspirations to live with dignity and freedom, to get an education and pursue opportunity, to love our families and love and worship our God, to live in the kind of peace that makes life worth living. It is the nature of our imperfect world that we are forced to learn these lessons over and over again. Conflict and repression will endure so long as some people refuse to do unto others as we would have them do unto us.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“No country should deny people their rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion, but also no country should deny people their rights because of whom they 15 11-50692 love, which is why we must stand up for the rights of gays and lesbians everywhere. No country can realize its potential if half its population cannot reach theirs. This week, the United States signed a new declaration on women’s participation. Next year, we should each announce the steps we are taking to break down the economic and political barriers that stand in the way of women and girls. That is what our commitment to human progress demands. I know there is no straight line to that progress, no single path to success. We come from different cultures, and carry with us different histories.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“And together, we must continue our work to build on the progress made in Copenhagen and Cancún, so that all the major economies represented here today follow through on the commitments that were made. Together, we must work to transform the energy that powers our economies and support others as they move down that path. That is what our commitment to the next generation demands. To make sure our societies reach their potential, we must allow our citizens to reach theirs. No country can afford the corruption that plagues the world like a cancer. Together, we must harness the power of open societies and open economies. That is why we have partnered with countries across the globe to launch a new partnership on open Government that helps ensure accountability and helps to empower citizens.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“And we must come together to prevent and detect and fight every kind of biological danger — whether it is a pandemic like H1N1 or a terrorist threat or a treatable disease. This week, America signed an agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) to affirm our commitment to meeting that challenge. And today, I urge all nations to join us in meeting the WHO goal of making sure all nations have core capacities to address public health emergencies in place by 2012. That is what our commitment to the health of our people demands. To preserve our planet, we must not put off action that climate change demands. We have to tap the power of science to save those resources that are scarce.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“The United States has made it a focus of our engagement abroad to help people to feed themselves. And today, as drought and conflict have brought famine to the Horn of Africa, our conscience calls on us to act. Together, we must continue to provide assistance and support organizations that can reach those in need. And together, we must insist on unrestricted humanitarian access so that we can save the lives of thousands of men and women and children. Our common humanity is at stake. Let us show that the life of a child in Somalia is as precious as any other. That is what our commitment to our fellow human beings demands. To stop disease that spreads across borders, we must strengthen our system of public health. We will continue the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. We will focus on the health of mothers and of children.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Here in the United States, I have announced a plan to put Americans back to work and jump-start our economy, at the same time as I am committed to substantially reducing our deficits over time. We stand with our European allies as they reshape their institutions and address their own fiscal challenges. For other countries, leaders face a different challenge as they shift their economy towards more self-reliance, boosting domestic demand while slowing inflation. So we will work with emerging economies that have rebounded strongly so that rising standards of living create new markets that promote global growth. That is what our commitment to prosperity demands. To combat the poverty that punishes our children, we must act on the belief that freedom from want is a basic human right.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Innovation and entrepreneurship have transformed the way we live and the things that we do. Emerging economies from Asia to the Americas have lifted hundreds of millions of people from poverty. It is an extraordinary achievement. And yet, three years ago, we were confronted with the worst financial crisis in eight decades. And that crisis proved a fact that has become clearer with each passing year. Our fates are interconnected. In a global economy, nations will rise or fall together. Today, we confront the challenges that have followed on the heels of that crisis. Around the world recovery is still fragile. Markets remain volatile. Too many people are out of work. Too many others are struggling just to get by. We acted together to avert a depression in 2009. We must take urgent and coordinated action once more.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It has not met its obligations and it rejects offers that would provide it with peaceful nuclear power. North Korea has yet to take concrete steps towards abandoning its weapons and continues 11-50692 14 belligerent action against the South. There is a future of greater opportunity for the people of those nations if their Governments meet their international obligations. But if they continue down a path that is outside international law, they must be met with greater pressure and isolation. That is what our commitment to peace and security demands. To bring prosperity to our people, we must promote the growth that creates opportunity. In this effort, let us not forget that we have made enormous progress over the past several decades. Closed societies gave way to open markets.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Next March, a summit in Seoul will advance our efforts to lock down all of them. The New START Treaty between the United States and Russia will cut our deployed arsenals to the lowest level in half a century, and our nations are pursuing talks on how to achieve even deeper reductions. America will continue to work for a ban on the testing of nuclear weapons and the production of fissile material needed to make them. And so we have begun to move in the right direction. And the United States is committed to meeting our obligations. But even as we meet our obligations, we have strengthened the treaties and institutions that help stop the spread of those weapons. And to do so, we must continue to hold accountable those nations that flout them. The Iranian Government cannot demonstrate that its programme is peaceful.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)