[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 38 (Monday, September 29, 2008)]
[Pages 1243-1247]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City

September 23, 2008

    Mr. Secretary-General, distinguished delegates, ladies and 
gentlemen: I'm pleased to be here to address the General Assembly.
    Sixty-three years ago, representatives from around the world 
gathered in San Francisco to complete the founding of the Charter of the 
United Nations. They met in the shadow of a devastating war, with grave 
new dangers on the horizon. They agreed on a historic pledge: To 
reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, and unite their strength to 
maintain international peace and security.
    This noble pledge has endured trying hours in the United Nations 
history, and it still guides our work today. Yet the ideals of the 
charter are now facing a challenge as serious as any since the U.N.'s 
founding, a global movement of violent extremists. By deliberately 
murdering the innocent to advance their aims, these extremists defy the 
fundamental principles of international order. They show contempt for 
all who respect life and value human dignity. They reject the words of 
the Bible, the Koran, the Torah, or any standard of conscience or 
morality. They imperil the values of justice and human rights that gave 
birth to the United Nations, values that have fueled an unprecedented 
expansion of freedom across the world.
    To uphold the world's--words of the charter in the face of this 
challenge, every nation in this chamber has responsibilities. As 
sovereign states, we have an obligation to govern responsibly, and solve 
problems before they spill across borders. We have an obligation to 
prevent our territory from being used as a sanctuary for terrorism and 
proliferation and human trafficking and organized crime. We have an 
obligation to respect the rights and respond to the needs of our people.
    Multilateral organizations have responsibilities. For 8 years, the 
nations in this assembly have worked together to confront the extremist 
threat. We've witnessed successes and setbacks, and through it all a 
clear lesson has emerged: The United Nations and other multilateral 
organizations are needed more urgently than ever. To be successful, we 
must be focused and resolute and effective. Instead of only passing 
resolutions decrying terrorist attacks after they occur, we must 
cooperate more closely to keep terrorist attacks from happening in the 
first place. Instead of treating all forms of government as equally 
tolerable, we must actively challenge the conditions of tyranny and 
despair that allow terror and extremism to thrive. By acting together to 
meet the fundamental challenge of our time, we can lead toward a world 
that is more secure and more prosperous and more hopeful.
    In the decades ahead, the United Nations and other multilateral 
organizations must continually confront terror. This mission requires 
clarity of vision. We must see the terrorists for what they are: 
ruthless extremists who exploit the desperate, subvert the tenets of a 
great religion, and seek to impose their will on as many people as 
possible. Some suggest that these men would pose less of a threat if 
we'd only leave them alone. Yet their leaders make clear that no 
concession could ever satisfy their ambitions. Bringing the terrorists 
to justice does not create terrorism; it's the best way to protect our 
people.
    Multilateral organizations must respond by taking an unequivocable 
moral stand against terrorism. No cause can justify the deliberate 
taking of innocent human life, and the international community is 
nearing universal agreement on this truth. The vast majority of nations 
in this assembly now agree that tactics like suicide bombing, hostage-
taking, and hijacking are never legitimate. This Security Council has 
passed resolutions declaring terror unlawful and requiring all nations 
to crack down on terrorist financing. And earlier this month, the 
Secretary-General held a conference to highlight victims of terror, 
where he stated that terrorism can never be justified.
    Other multilateral organizations have spoken clearly as well. The G-
8 has declared that all terrorist acts are criminal and must be 
universally condemned. And the Secretary-General of the Organization of 
the Islamic Conference recently spoke out against a suicide bombing, 
which he said runs

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counter to the teachings of Islam. The message behind these statements 
is resolutely clear: Like slavery and piracy, terrorism has no place in 
the modern world.
    Around the globe, nations are turning these words into action. 
Members of the United Nations are sharing intelligence with one another, 
conducting joint operations, and freezing terrorist finances. While 
terrorists continue to carry out attacks like the terrible bombing in 
Islamabad last week, our joint actions have spared our citizens from 
many devastating blows.
    The brutal nature of the extremists increasingly clear, the 
coalition of nations confronting terror is growing stronger. Over the 
past 7 years, Afghanistan and Iraq have been transformed from regimes 
that actively sponsored terror to democracies that fight terror. Libya 
has renounced its support for terror and its pursuit of nuclear weapons. 
Nations like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are actively pursuing the 
terrorists. A few nations--regimes like Syria and Iran--continue to 
sponsor terror. Yet their numbers are growing fewer, and they're growing 
more isolated from the world.
    As the 21st century unfolds, some may be tempted to assume that the 
threat has receded. This would be comforting; it would be wrong. The 
terrorists believe time is on their side, so they made waiting out 
civilized nations part of their strategy. We must not allow them to 
succeed. The nations of this body must stand united in the fight against 
terror. We must continue working to deny the terrorists refuge anywhere 
in the world, including ungoverned spaces. We must remain vigilant 
against proliferation by fully implementing the terms of Security 
Council Resolution 1540, and enforcing sanctions against North Korea and 
Iran. We must not relent until our people are safe from this threat to 
civilization.
    To uphold the Charter's promise of peace and security in the 21st 
century, we must also confront the ideology of the terrorists. At its 
core, the struggle against extremists is a battle of ideas. The 
terrorists envision a world in which religious freedom is denied, women 
are oppressed, and all dissent is crushed. The nations of this chamber 
must present a more hopeful alternative, a vision where people can speak 
freely, and worship as they choose, and pursue their dreams in liberty.
    Advancing the vision of freedom serves our highest ideals, as 
expressed in the U.N.'s Charter's commitment to the dignity and worth of 
the human person. Advancing this vision also serves our security 
interests. History shows that when citizens have a voice in choosing 
their own leaders, they are less likely to search for meaning in radical 
ideologies. And when governments respect the rights of their people, 
they're more likely to respect the rights of their neighbors.
    For all these reasons, the nations of this body must challenge 
tyranny as vigorously as we challenge terror. Some question whether 
people in certain parts of the world actually desire freedom. This self-
serving condescension has been disproved before our eyes. From the 
voting booths of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Liberia to the Orange Revolution 
in Ukraine and the Rose Revolution in Georgia to the Cedar Revolution in 
Lebanon and the Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan, we have seen people 
consistently make the courageous decision to demand their liberty. For 
all the suggestions to the contrary, the truth is that whenever or 
wherever people are given the choice, they choose freedom.
    Nations in this chambers have supported the efforts of dissidents 
and reformers and civil society advocates in newly free societies 
throughout the new United Nations Democracy Fund. And we appreciate 
those efforts. And as young democracies around the world continue to 
make brave stands for liberty, multilateral organizations like the 
United Nations must continue to stand with them.
    In Afghanistan, a determined people are working to overcome decades 
of tyranny, and protect their newly free society. They have strong 
support from all 26 nations of the NATO Alliance. I appreciate the 
United Nations' decision this week to renew the mandate for the 
International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. The United 
Nations is also an active civilian presence in Afghanistan, where 
experts are doing important work helping to improve education, 
facilitate humanitarian aid, and protect human rights. We must continue 
to help the Afghan people defend their young democracy so the Taliban

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does not return to power, and Afghanistan is never again a safe haven 
for terror.
    In Iraq, the fight has been difficult, yet daily life has improved 
dramatically over the past 20 months, thanks to the courage of the Iraqi 
people, a determined coalition of nations, and a surge of American 
troops. The United Nations has provided the mandate for multinational 
forces in Iraq through this December. And the United Nations is carrying 
out an ambitious strategy to strengthen Iraq's democracy, including 
helping Iraqis prepare for their next round of free elections. Whatever 
disagreements our nations have had on Iraq, we should all welcome this 
progress toward stability and peace, and we should stand united in 
helping Iraq's democracy succeed.
    We must stand united in our support of other young democracies, from 
the people of Lebanon struggling to maintain their hard-won 
independence, to the people of the Palestinian Territories, who deserve 
a free and peaceful state of their own. We must stand united in our 
support of the people of Georgia. The United Nations Charter sets forth 
the equal rights of nations large and small. Russia's invasion of 
Georgia was a violation of those words. Young democracies around the 
world are watching to see how we respond to this test. The United States 
has worked with allies in multilateral institutions like the European 
Union and NATO to uphold Georgia's territorial integrity and provide 
humanitarian relief. And our nations will continue to support Georgia's 
democracy.
    In this chamber are representatives of Georgia and Ukraine and 
Lebanon and Afghanistan and Liberia and Iraq and other brave young 
democracies. We admire your courage; we honor your sacrifices; we thank 
you for your inspiring example. We will continue to stand with all who 
stand for freedom. This noble goal is worthy of the United Nations, and 
it should have the support of every member in this assembly.
    Extending the reach of political freedom is essential to prevailing 
in the great struggle of our time, but it is not enough. Many in this 
chamber have answered the call to help their brothers and sisters in 
need by working to alleviate hopelessness. These efforts to improve the 
human condition honor the highest ideals of this institution. They also 
advance our security interests. The extremists find their most fertile 
recruiting grounds in societies trapped in chaos and despair, places 
where people see no prospect of a better life. In the shadows of 
hopelessness, radicalism thrives. And eventually, that radicalism can 
boil over into violence and cross borders and take innocent lives across 
the world.
    Overcoming hopelessness requires addressing its causes: poverty, 
disease, and ignorance. Challenging these conditions is in the interest 
of every nation in this chamber. And democracies are particularly well-
positioned to carry out this work. Because we have experience responding 
to the needs of our own people, we're natural partners in helping other 
nations respond to the needs of theirs. Together, we must commit our 
resources and efforts to advancing education and health and prosperity.
    Over the years, many nations have made well-intentioned efforts to 
promote these goals. Yet the success of these efforts must be measured 
by more than intentions, they must be measured by results. My Nation has 
placed an insistence on results at the heart of our foreign assistance 
programs. We launched a new initiative called the Millennium Challenge 
Account, which directs our help to countries that demonstrate their 
ability to produce results by governing justly, and fighting corruption, 
and pursuing market-based economic policies, as well as investing in 
their people. Every country and institution that provides foreign 
assistance, including the United Nations, will be more effective by 
showing faith in the people of the developing world and insisting on 
performance in return for aid.
    Experience also shows that to be effective, we must adopt a model of 
partnership, not paternalism. This approach is based on our conviction 
that people in the developing world have the capacity to improve their 
own lives, and will rise to meet high expectations if we set them. 
America has sought to apply this model in our Emergency Plan for AIDS 
Relief. Every nation that receives American support through this 
initiative develops its own plan for fighting HIV/AIDS and measures the 
results. And so far, these results are inspiring. Five years ago, 50,000 
people in sub-Sahara Africa were receiving treatment

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for HIV/AIDS. Today, that number is nearly 1.7 million. We're taking a 
similar approach to fighting malaria, and so far, we've supported local 
efforts to protect more than 25 million Africans.
    Multilateral organizations have made bold commitments of their own 
to fight disease. The G-8 has pledged to match America's efforts on 
malaria and HIV/AIDS. Through the Global Fund, many countries are 
working to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB. Lives in the developing 
world depend on these programs, and all who have made pledges to fight 
disease have an obligation to follow through on their commitments.
    One of the most powerful engines of development and prosperity is 
trade and investment, which create new opportunities for entrepreneurs, 
and help people rise out of poverty, and reinforce fundamental values 
like transparency and rule of law. For all these reasons, many in these 
chambers have conducted free trade agreements at bilateral and regional 
levels. The most effective step of all would be an agreement that tears 
down trade barriers at the global level. The recent impasse in the Doha 
round is disappointing, but that does not have to be the final word. I 
urge every nation to seize this opportunity to lift up economies around 
the world and reach a successful Doha agreement as soon as possible.
    Beyond Doha, our nations must renew our commitment to open 
economies, and stand firm against economic isolationism. These 
objectives are being tested by turbulence in the global financial 
markets. Our economies are more closely connected than ever before, and 
I know that many of you here are watching how the United States 
Government will address the problems in our financial system.
    In recent weeks, we have taken bold steps to prevent a severe 
disruption of the American economy, which would have a devastating 
effect on other economies around the world. We've promoted stability in 
the markets by preventing the disorderly failure of major companies. The 
Federal Reserve has injected urgently needed liquidity into the system. 
And last week, I announced a decisive action by the Federal Government 
to address the root cause of much of the instability in our financial 
markets, by purchasing illiquid assets that are weighing down balance 
sheets and restricting the flow of credit. I can assure you that my 
administration and our Congress are working together to quickly pass 
legislation approving this strategy, and I'm confident we will act in 
the urgent time frame required.
    The objectives I've laid out for multilateral institutions--
confronting terror, opposing tyranny, and promoting effective 
development--are difficult, but they are necessary tasks. To have 
maximum impact, multilateral institutions must take on challenging 
missions. And like all of us in this chamber, they must work toward 
measurable goals, be accountable for their actions, and hold true to 
their word.
    In the 21st century, the world needs a confident and effective 
United Nations. This unique institution should build on its successes 
and improve its performance. Where there is inefficiency and corruption, 
it must be corrected. Where there are bloated bureaucracies, they must 
be streamlined. Where members fail to uphold their obligations, there 
must be strong action. For example, there should be an immediate review 
of the Human Rights Council, which has routinely protected violators of 
human rights. There should be a stronger effort to help the people of 
Burma live free of the repression they have suffered for too long. And 
all nations, especially members of the Security Council, must act 
decisively to ensure that the Government of Sudan upholds its commitment 
to address the violence in Darfur.
    The United Nations is an organization of extraordinary potential. As 
the United Nations rebuilds its headquarters, it must also open the door 
to a new age of transparency, accountability, and seriousness of 
purpose.
    With determination and clear purpose, the United Nations can be a 
powerful force for good as we head into the 21st century. It can affirm 
the great promise of its founding.
    In the final days of the San Francisco Conference, the delegates 
negotiating the U.N. Charter received a visit from President Harry 
Truman. He acknowledged the enormous challenges they faced, and said 
success was only possible because of what he called an unshakable unity 
of determination. Today, the world is engaged in another period of

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great challenge. And by continuing to work together, that unshakable 
unity of determination will be ours. Together, we confront and defeat 
the evil of terrorism. Together, we can secure the Almighty's gift of 
liberty and justice to millions who have not known it. And together, we 
can build a world that is freer, safer, and better for the generations 
who follow.
    Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 10:12 a.m. in the General Assembly Hall. In 
his remarks, he referred to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the United 
Nations; and Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu of the Organization 
of the Islamic Conference. The Office of the Press Secretary also 
released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.