Obama, Ahmadinejad, and Qaddafi all spoke at the UN General Assembly yesterday, Obama’s speech was about how the world needs to step up to the plate and help the US. Saying the US cannot do it alone and that we need our partners, friends, allies, and every nation to step up and play their part in world events.
The Good.
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. This has fed an almost reflexive anti-Americanism, which too often has served as an excuse for our collective inaction.
Basically Obama is saying here: I know Bush sucked as a world leader and was more often than not looked upon as a dictator, we apologize for this idiot, thankfully he won’t have to bother anyone else ever again, please forgive America.
I have outlined a comprehensive agenda to seek the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. In Moscow, the United States and Russia announced that we would pursue substantial reductions in our strategic warheads and launchers. At the Conference on Disarmament, we agreed on a work plan to negotiate an end to the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. And this week, my Secretary of State will become the first senior American representative to the annual Members Conference of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
The US has been working with Russia for the last 25 years following the START I treaty to reduce nuclear arms. Several treaties have come and gone sense then, with the ultimate goal of disposing of the world’s nuclear arms altogether. Nations like Iran and North Korea trying to build a nuclear arms program.
Some key things to remember when dealing with the United States and signing treaties. The US does not have a great track record of keeping treaties. (Read: Long Chain of Abuses: Broken Treaties) And we still are the only country to use nuclear weapons in an act of war.
To this date, the US, Russia, France, England and China are all states that have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
India, Pakistan, and North Korea, are all states that have not signed the NPT and are known to have nukes.
It is generally believed that Israel has nukes (The real reason they haven’t been overrun by many middle eastern countries that don’t like them very much.)
The idea of mutually assured destruction kept the US and the former Soviet Union from annihilating each other during the cold war. The US is at the forefront of making sure that no other country that we don’t approve of get’s these dangerous weapons of mass destruction.
The Bad.
Mahamoud Ahmadinejad spoke to the security council, several times questioning the United States’ permenent placement in the UN Security Council. Questioning Israel’s right to exist, and defending Iran’s nuclear power research efforts.
Some powers proudly announce their production of second and third generations of nuclear weapons. What do they need these weapons for? Is the development and stockpiling of these deadly weapons designed to promote peace and democracy? Or, are these weapons, in fact, instruments of coercion and threat against other peoples and governments? How long should the people of the world live with the nightmare of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons? What bounds the powers producing and possessing these weapons? How can they be held accountable before the international community? And, are the inhabitants of these countries content with the waste of their wealth and resources for the production of such destructive arsenals? Is it not possible to rely on justice, ethics and wisdom instead of these instruments of death? Aren’t wisdom and justice more compatible with peace and tranquility than nuclear, chemical and biological weapons? If wisdom, ethics and justice prevail, then oppression and aggression will be uprooted, threats will wither away and no reason will remain for conflict. This is a solid proposition because most global conflicts emanate from injustice, and from the powerful, not being contented with their own rights, striving to devour the rights of others.
You have to wonder if he is wrong, the US does continue to develop more and more advanced versions of nuclear weapons.
The roots of the Palestinian problem go back to the Second World War. Under the pretext of protecting some of the survivors of that War, the land of Palestine was occupied through war, aggression and the displacement of millions of its inhabitants; it was placed under the control of some of the War survivors, bringing even larger population groups from elsewhere in the world, who had not been even affected by the Second World War; and a government was established in the territory of others with a population collected from across the world at the expense of driving millions of the rightful inhabitants of the land into a diaspora and homelessness. This is a great tragedy with hardly a precedent in history. Refugees continue to live in temporary refugee camps, and many have died still hoping to one day return to their land. Can any logic, law or legal reasoning justify this tragedy? Can any member of the United Nations accept such a tragedy occurring in their own homeland?
Although researching what Ahmadinejad, said comes up with some truth. Israel was created with the push out of the nation of Palestine. Course WWI saw the destruction of the Ottoman Empire, if it weren’t for the west’s involvement in WWI, Iran would still be under the control of the Ottoman’s.
The Ugly.
Libyan Leader Qaddafi spoke for a blistering hour and a half, ripping up papers, and generally causing a ruckus. I tried several times to find a transcript of what Qaddafi said but each site is a reported hacked site with a particularly nasty virus attached. I will however attach the following YouTube videos for you to view if you wish.
(I am sorry, but if you want to view the whole thing it’s there.)
This was an hour and a half long rant by Qaddafi, it made little sense and I feel sorry for the poor translator that had to sit through it and translate every word of it.
