I/V. https://shareblue.com/world-leaders-watch-stone-faced-as-trump-casually-threatens-nuclear-war-at-un/
World leaders watch “stone faced” as Trump casually threatens nuclear war at UN By Kaili Joy Gray | SEPTEMBER 19, 2017 Trump not only disgraced himself and America in his speech to the United Nations, but he just recklessly escalated tensions with a casual threat to "totally destroy" North Korea. White House chief of staff John Kelly, surrounded by world leaders, reacts as his boss goes off script.(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) In what might be his most unpresidential moment yet, Donald Trump threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea while addressing the United Nations. It was not a carefully planned part of his speech, vetted by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, or any of his aides. Instead, it was a typical Trumpian moment in which he added, at the last minute, a threat of war, the consequences of which he clearly does not understand. According to MSNBC reporter Kristen Welker, Trump added those words himself. “The United States has great strength and patience,” Trump said. “But if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.” New York Times reporter Peter Baker noted in a White House pool report that the audience of world leaders sat “stone faced,” watching Trump, though there was a “buzz in the room” when Trump made his casual threat and called North Korea leader Kim Jong Un “Rocket Man on a suicide mission” — another embarrassing and childish line Trump repeated from his bizarre Tweet over the weekend, which was added at the last minute: Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump I spoke with President Moon of South Korea last night. Asked him how Rocket Man is doing. Long gas lines forming in North Korea. Too bad! 5:23 PM - Sep 17, 2017 24,904 24,904 Replies 43,495 43,495 Retweets 144,700 144,700 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy Despite Trump’s bluster about North Korea, the reality is that nuclear war against the country, which shares a border with our close ally, would be catastrophic. In 1994, when President Bill Clinton contemplated the use of force to knock out the North’s nuclear weapons program, the then commander of U.S.-Republic of Korea forces, Gary Luck, told his commander in chief that a war on the peninsula would likely result in 1 million dead, and nearly $1 trillion of economic damage. Three decades later, the damage would almost certainly be worse. But that is not something Trump appears to understand. He had made numerous comments about nuclear weapons, before and after the election, all of which reveal a terrifying ignorance about them. In August 2016, he reportedly asked a foreign policy expert, “If we have them, why can’t we use them?” Last December, he called for the United States to “strengthen and expand its nuclear capability.” He then followed up that astonishing declaration by telling “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski, “Let it be an arms race. We will outmatch them at every pass.” Now, as president, Trump has issued a threat against North Korea that all but dares the nation to further provoke the United States. If Trump were to follow through with his threat against “Rocket Man,” it would lead to unspeakable devastation for millions of innocent people. It’s the kind of reckless threat that the president of the United States should never make. But Trump has already proved, in his brief time in office, that he doesn’t care at all about what a president should do — regardless of the consequences for America’s safety and security around the world. AUTHOR Senior Editor Kaili Joy Gray Longtime progressive editor and writer and fierce feminist. Formerly Planned Parenthood, Wonkette, and Daily Kos. Follow her on Twitter @KailiJoy. II/V. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41327129 Donald Trump at the UN: What were his key messages? 19 September 2017 A word cloud of Mr Trump's speech, showing that "people", "nations", and "united" were his most-used words Image caption America first, a rogue Iran, the fight against so-called Islamic State (IS) were highlighted in President Donald Trump's first speech at the UN General Assembly. The landmark foreign policy address laid out a Trumpian vision of a world organised into proud, sovereign nation states. Here are some of the key takeaways. America First (and a "great reawakening of nations") Mr Trump modified his long-standing "America First" election rhetoric into something more tailored to the audience of international leaders and diplomats. "Our government's first duty is to its people, to our citizens - to serve their needs, to ensure their safety, to preserve their rights, and to defend their values," he said. Media captionWhich 'rogue states' are in Trump's new axis of evil? "As president of the United States, I will always put America first, just like you, as the leaders of your countries will always, and should always, put your countries first. "All responsible leaders have an obligation to serve their own citizens, and the nation state remains the best vehicle for elevating the human condition." Trudeau to US: Ditch 'America First' 'America First'. Who will be second? Towards the end of his speech he asked the room: "Are we still patriots?" "Do we love our nations enough to protect their sovereignty and to take ownership of their futures? Do we revere them enough to defend their interests, preserve their cultures, and ensure a peaceful world for their citizens?" Under him, Mr Trump said, the US was "calling for a great reawakening of nations, for the revival of their spirits, their pride, their people, and their patriotism". Media captionTrump's UN audience agrees on one thing about his speech Rogue states in the room Early on, Mr Trump turned his fire on some of the ambassadors sitting in front of him, saying "rogue regimes represented in this body not only support terrorists but threaten other nations, and their own people, with the most destructive weapons known to humanity". "The scourge of our planet today is a small group of rogue regimes that violate every principle on which the United Nations is based," he later added. "They respect neither their own citizens nor the sovereign rights of their countries. "If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph. When decent people and nations become bystanders to history, the forces of destruction only gather power and strength." North Korea's 'suicidal rocket man' The current crisis on the Korean peninsula received plenty of attention from the president. He started with a reference to US citizen Otto Warmbier and others who have died or been imprisoned at the hands of North Korea. "If this is not twisted enough, now North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles threatens the entire world with unthinkable loss of human life," Mr Trump said. "It is an outrage that some nations would not only trade with such a regime, but would arm, supply, and financially support a country that imperils the world with nuclear conflict. No nation on earth has an interest in seeing this band of criminals arm itself with nuclear weapons and missiles. Media captionTrump: 'Rocket Man's suicide mission' "The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. "Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime," he said, mocking North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. But he added that he hoped conflict wouldn't be necessary since "that's what the United Nations is for". US could destroy North Korea - Trump North Korea crisis in 300 words What are North Korea's other WMDs? 'Murderous' Iran Iran's ambassador lowered his spectacles as Mr Trump started talking about his country. "The Iranian government masks a corrupt dictatorship behind the false guise of a democracy," he began. He continued: "It has turned a wealthy country with a rich history and culture into an economically depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed, and chaos." Iran's envoy raises an eyebrow during Mr Trump's speechImage copyrightUN / EVN The US president accused the country of funding terrorists who "attack their peaceful Arab and Israeli neighbours", and then returned to a favourite topic of scorn - the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. "Frankly, that deal is an embarrassment to the United States, and I don't think you've heard the last of it - believe me," he warned. Iran nuclear deal: Key details Rouhani warns Trump over nuclear deal Thoughts on war and conflict Donald Trump declared that he had "made big gains toward lasting defeat of Isis", using another acronym for IS. "We appreciate the efforts of United Nations agencies that are providing vital humanitarian assistance in areas liberated from Isis, and we especially thank Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon for their role in hosting refugees from the Syrian conflict," he said. A Syrian envoy to the UN watches Mr Trump's speech, apparently bored, with his head resting on his handImage copyrightUN / EVN On the Syrian war, he also said that the US was seeking "de-escalation... and a political solution that honours the will of the Syrian people". "The actions of the criminal regime of Bashar al-Assad, including the use of chemical weapons against his own citizens - even innocent children - shock the conscience of every decent person." Why is there a war in Syria? Islamic State and the crisis in Iraq and Syria in maps Media captionDonald Trump in January: 'America first, America first' III/V. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-un-assembly-trump-doctrine-analysis/trumps-u-n-speech-shows-nationalist-instincts-firmly-intact-idUSKCN1BV06I SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 / 7:44 AM / UPDATED 5 HOURS AGO Trump's U.N. speech shows nationalist instincts firmly intact Jeff Mason, Steve Holland 4 MIN READ U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chalk one up for the nationalists. Among the many signals that Donald Trump sent in his speech to the United Nations on Tuesday, one was especially clear: former chief strategist Steve Bannon’s White House departure has not muted the president’s “America First” foreign policy instincts. Trump’s eight months in office have been characterized by a sometimes dramatic tug-of-war between “globalists” and “nationalist” advisers who have sought to move the president in myriad ways on issues both domestic and international. Bannon’s exit last month caused some of the former New York businessman’s core supporters to fret that the more multilateral-leaning group inside the administration had gained ground. Not on foreign policy, at least not on Tuesday. Trump’s strident defense of national sovereignty during his debut at the annual U.N. General Assembly showed his campaign-honed policy inclinations very much intact and presented a Trump Doctrine to the world that focused unabashedly on the U.S. homeland. ”The chief nationalist in this administration is Donald J. Trump. And he knows what he’s trying to say,” said Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a Trump supporter. He said the speech showed that Trump had a doctrine that was defined by more than tweets, with roots in the conservative philosophies of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, France’s Charles de Gaulle, and Britain’s Margaret Thatcher. “It’s not a one-sided American nationalism, it’s a re-centering on sovereignty that’s really, really important,” Gingrich said. U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson The speech, in which Trump threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea if attacked, divided Trump’s supporters and opponents. Ben Rhodes, an adviser to former Democratic President Barack Obama, said Trump was upending international order with threats of war and attacks on diplomacy. It did not divide Trump’s often warring advisers, however, an administration official said. “It was the most collaborative speech among the senior people in the national security cabinet that the president has given to date,” the official said. Slideshow (2 Images) He said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stood up after Trump’s speech and shook chief speechwriter Stephen Miller’s hand and said “you did a great job.” Miller is considered a nationalist and an ally of Bannon, while Tillerson is more globally minded. ”This was more ... Trump just being Trump,” said Sam Nunberg, a former Trump campaign adviser, adding he thought the nationalist versus globalist tension in the administration played itself out more on domestic policy issues such as immigration policy. The administration has given mixed signals on foreign policy, too. Gary Cohn, the president’s top economic adviser and a member of the so-called globalist wing, had to clarify with U.S. allies this week that Trump still intended to pull the United States out of the Paris climate change agreement unless there were a renegotiation to make it more favorable for U.S. interests. But Trump seemed to stun some people in the United Nations hall, despite his well-known penchant for blunt talk. His speech included a condemnation of the Iran nuclear agreement reached with U.S. allies under Obama, and an observation that some portions of the world were “going to hell”. Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator for Democratic and Republican administrations, said allies would interpret the speech as a sign that Trump was wary of undertaking major commitments around the world. “Neither of the biggest problems, North Korea and Iran, can be solved by an America First, Lone Ranger policy,” he said, adding the speech showed that globalists within his administrations were “throwaways” and that Trump was still driven by nationalism. Reporting by Jeff Mason and Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by James Dalgleish IV/V. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41327130 Trump's first UN speech met with criticism from some leaders 7 hours ago Media captionTrump's UN audience agrees on one thing about his speech Donald Trump's first major speech at the United Nations has been denounced by some of the member nations he singled out for criticism. The US president included Iran among "a small group of rogue regimes", and said the US would "totally destroy" North Korea if forced to do so. Iran's foreign minister said: "Trump's ignorant hate speech belongs in medieval times", and not the UN. North Korea has yet to respond to the president's threat of destruction. Mr Trump's speech laid out a vision for a world filled with sovereign states which worked for the betterment of their citizens - but he spent large portions targeting what he called "rogue nations" which are "the scourge of our planet today". Why Trump's UN rhetoric broke the mould Skip Twitter post by @JZarif Follow Javad Zarif ✔ @JZarif Trump's ignorant hate speech belongs in medieval times-not the 21st Century UN -unworthy of a reply. Fake empathy for Iranians fools no one. 11:46 PM - Sep 19, 2017 1,078 1,078 Replies 2,099 2,099 Retweets 6,177 6,177 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy Report End of Twitter post by @JZarif Washington has repeatedly warned North Korea over its weapons tests, which violate UN Security Council resolutions. On Tuesday, Mr Trump criticised North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, saying: "Rocket man is on a suicide mission." "If [the US] is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea," he added. Reuters news agency said one audience member covered his face with his hands, and that loud, startled murmurs filled the hall in response. Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, who was observed crossing her arms, told the BBC: "It was the wrong speech, at the wrong time, to the wrong audience." Media captionWhich 'rogue states' are in Trump's new axis of evil? The American leader called on "the righteous many" to confront "the wicked few". In his speech, he called Iran "a corrupt dictatorship behind the false guise of a democracy" whose "chief exports are violence, bloodshed, and chaos". He called the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers "one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into". Media captionTrump: 'Rocket Man's suicide mission' Mr Trump also targeted Venezuela, calling its government a corrupt "socialist dictatorship" - and warned that the US was prepared to take action against it. Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza rejected what he called "threats". "Trump is not the president of the world... he can not even manage his own government," he said. A five-part composite showing reactionImage copyrightUN / EVN Image caption Clockwise from top left: Representatives from Israel, Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia listen to Mr Trump's speech Bolivian President Evo Morales - an ally of the Venezuelan government - tweeted: "I am not surprised that a multi-millionaire like Trump attacks socialism. Our struggle will always be ideological and pragmatic." French President Emmanuel Macron, also speaking to the General Assembly, defended the nuclear deal with Iran. "Renouncing it would be a grave error," he said. But Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed Mr Trump during his speech, saying the deal with Iran should be amended or scrapped altogether, and warned against the spread of Iranian influence in the Middle East. Key messages from Donald Trump's speech Can the world live with a nuclear North Korea? Trump's contradictions By Jonathan Marcus, BBC News President Trump's speech was an eloquent exposition of his "America First" doctrine but at the same time contained some fulsome (and perhaps unexpected) praise for the United Nations as a body that can bring together sovereign states to tackle the world's problems. In contrast to the focus on globalisation that has driven so much of foreign policy discussion since the 1990s, Mr Trump saw national sovereignty as the main pillar of the international system. There was a nod to the old axis-of-evil theme. His rogues' gallery took in a predictable cast of North Korea, Iran and Venezuela. Nonetheless Mr Trump's world view contained many contradictions. Where exactly is the boundary between national sovereignty and collective action? And does America's newfound foreign policy pragmatism extend just to calling for the return of democracy in Iran and Venezuela or actually for doing something practical about it? V. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/9/19/16333290/trump-full-speech-transcript-un-general-assembly Read: Trump's full speech to the UN General Assembly Updated by Kelly [email protected][email protected] Sep 19, 2017, 11:40am EDT BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / Getty Images President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the first time on Tuesday. In his speech, he focused on the threat posed by North Korea, and on Iran’s government and the Iran nuclear deal. Trump referred to North Korean leader Kim Jung Un as “rocket man,” and described him as being on “a suicide mission for himself and for his regime.” He also threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea if the US finds itself “forced to defend itself or its allies.” On Iran, Trump demanded that “Iran's government must stop supporting terrorists, begin serving its own people, and respect the sovereign rights of its neighbors.” He also criticized the Iran nuclear deal, calling it, characteristically, “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions” and “an embarrassment.” Read a rush transcript of President Trump’s full remarks below. Mr. Secretary General, Mr. President, world leaders, and distinguished delegates, welcome to New York. It is a profound honor to stand here in my home city as a representative of the American people to address the people of the world. As millions of our citizens continue to suffer the effects of the devastating hurricanes that have struck our country, I want to begin by expressing my appreciation to every leader in this room who has offered assistance and aid. The American people are strong and resilient, and they will emerge from these hardships more determined than ever before. Fortunately, the United States has done very well since Election Day last November 8. The stock market is at an all-time high, a record. Unemployment is at its lowest level in 16 years, and because of our regulatory and other reforms, we have more people working in the United States today than ever before. Companies are moving back, creating job growth, the likes of which our country has not seen in a very long time, and it has just been announced that we will be spending almost $700 billion on our military and defense. Our military will soon be the strongest it has ever been. For more than 70 years, in times of war and peace, the leaders of nations, movements, and religions have stood before this assembly. Like them, I intend to address some of the very serious threats before us today, but also the enormous potential waiting to be unleashed. We live in a time of extraordinary opportunity. Breakthroughs in science, technology, and medicine are curing illnesses and solving problems that prior generations thought impossible to solve. But each day also brings news of growing dangers that threaten everything we cherish and value. Terrorists and extremists have gathered strength and spread to every region of the planet. Rogue regimes represented in this body not only support terror but threaten other nations and their own people with the most destructive weapons known to humanity. Authority and authoritarian powers seek to collapse the values, the systems, and alliances, that prevented conflict and tilted the word toward freedom since World War II. International criminal networks traffic drugs, weapons, people, force dislocation and mass migration, threaten our borders and new forms of aggression exploit technology to menace our citizens. To put it simply, we meet at a time of both immense promise and great peril. It is entirely up to us whether we lift the world to new heights or let it fall into a valley of disrepair. We have it in our power, should we so choose, to lift millions from poverty, to help our citizens realize their dreams, and to ensure that new generations of children are raised free from violence, hatred, and fear. This institution was founded in the aftermath of two world wars, to help shape this better future. It was based on the vision that diverse nations could cooperate to protect their sovereignty, preserve their security, and promote their prosperity. It was in the same period exactly 70 years ago that the United States developed the Marshall Plan to help restore Europe. Those these beautiful pillars, they are pillars of peace, sovereignty, security, and prosperity. The Marshall Plan was built on the noble idea that the whole world is safer when nations are strong, independent, and free. As president, Truman said in his message to Congress at that time, our support of European recovery is in full accord with our support of the United Nations. The success of the United Nations depends upon the independent strength of its members. To overcome the perils of the present, and to achieve the promise of the future, we must begin with the wisdom of the past. Our success depends on a coalition of strong and independent nations that embrace their sovereignty, to promote security, prosperity, and peace, for themselves and for the world. We do not expect diverse countries to share the same cultures, traditions, or even systems of government, but we do expect all nations to uphold these two core sovereign duties, to respect the interests of their own people and the rights of every other sovereign nation. This is the beautiful vision of this institution, and this is the foundation for cooperation and success. Strong sovereign nations let diverse countries with different values, different cultures, and different dreams not just coexist, but work side by side on the basis of mutual respect. Strong sovereign nations let their people take ownership of the future and control their own destiny. And strong sovereign nations allow individuals to flourish in the fullness of the life intended by God. In America, we do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to watch. This week gives our country a special reason to take pride in that example. We are celebrating the 230th anniversary of our beloved Constitution, the oldest constitution still in use in the world today. This timeless document has been the foundation of peace, prosperity, and freedom for the Americans and for countless millions around the globe whose own countries have found inspiration in its respect for human nature, human dignity, and the rule of law. The greatest in the United States Constitution is its first three beautiful words. They are "We the people." Generations of Americans have sacrificed to maintain the promise of those words, the promise of our country and of our great history. In America, the people govern, the people rule, and the people are sovereign. I was elected not to take power, but to give power to the American people where it belongs. In foreign affairs, we are renewing this founding principle of sovereignty. Our government's first duty is to its people, to our citizens, to serve their needs, to ensure their safety, to preserve their rights, and to defend their values. As president of the United States, I will always put America first. Just like you, as the leaders of your countries, will always and should always put your countries first. All responsible leaders have an obligation to serve their own citizens, and the nation state remains the best vehicle for elevating the human condition. But making a better life for our people also requires us to with work together in close harmony and unity, to create a more safe and peaceful future for all people. The United States will forever be a great friend to the world and especially to its allies. But we can no longer be taken advantage of or enter into a one-sided deal where the United States gets nothing in return. As long as I hold this office, I will defend America's interests above all else, but in fulfilling our obligations to our nations, we also realize that it's in everyone's interests to seek the future where all nations can be sovereign, prosperous, and secure. America does more than speak for the values expressed in the United Nations charter. Our citizens have paid the ultimate price to defend our freedom and the freedom of many nations represented in this great hall. America's devotion is measured on the battlefields where our young men and women have fought and sacrificed alongside of our allies. From the beaches of Europe to the deserts of the Middle East to the jungles of Asia, it is an eternal credit to the American character that even after we and our allies emerge victorious from the bloodiest war in history, we did not seek territorial expansion or attempt to oppose and impose our way of life on others. Instead, we helped build institutions such as this one to defend the sovereignty, security, and prosperity for all. For the diverse nations of the world, this is our hope. We want harmony and friendship, not conflict and strife. We are guided by outcomes, not ideologies. We have a policy of principled realism, rooted in shared goal, interests, and values. That realism forces us to confront the question facing every leader and nation in this room, it is a question we cannot escape or avoid. We will slide down the path of complacency, numb to the challenges, threats, and even wars that we face, or do we have enough strength and pride to confront those dangers today so that our citizens can enjoy peace and prosperity tomorrow. If we desire to lift up our citizens, if we aspire to the approval of history, then we must fulfill our sovereign duties to the people we faithfully represent. We must protect our nations, their interests and their futures. We must reject threats to sovereignty from the Ukraine to the South China Sea. We must uphold respect for law, respect for borders, and respect for culture, and the peaceful engagement these allow. And just as the founders of this body intended, we must work together and confront together those who threatens us with chaos, turmoil, and terror. The score of our planet today is small regimes that violate every principle that the United Nations is based. They respect neither their own citizens nor the sovereign rights of their countries. If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph. When decent people and nations become bystanders to history, the forces of destruction only gather power and strength. No one has shown more contempt for other nations and for the well-being of their own people than the depraved regime in North Korea. It is responsible for the starvation deaths of millions of North Koreans. And for the imprisonment, torture, killing, and oppression of countless more. We were all witness to the regime's deadly abuse when an innocent American college student, Otto Warmbier, was returned to America, only to die a few days later. We saw it in the assassination of the dictator's brother, using banned nerve agents in an international airport. We know it kidnapped a sweet 13-year-old Japanese girl from a beach in her own country, to enslave her as a language tutor for North Korea's spies. If this is not twisted enough, now North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles threatens the entire world with unthinkable loss of human life. It is an outrage that some nations would not only trade with such a regime, but would arm, supply, and financially support a country that imperils the world with nuclear conflict. No nation on Earth has an interest in seeing this band of criminals arm itself with nuclear weapons and missiles. The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime. The United States is ready, willing, and able, but hopefully this will not be necessary. That's what the United Nations is all about. That's what the United Nations is for. Let's see how they do. It is time for North Korea to realize that the denuclearization is its only acceptable future. The United Nations Security Council recently held two unanimous 15-0 votes adopting hard-hitting resolutions against North Korea, and I want to thank China and Russia for joining the vote to impose sanctions, along with all of the other members of the Security Council. Thank you to all involved. But we must do much more. It is time for all nations to work together to isolate the Kim regime until it ceases its hostile behavior. We face this decision not only in North Korea; it is far past time for the nations of the world to confront another reckless regime, one that speaks openly of mass murder, vowing death to America, destruction to Israel, and ruin for many leaders and nations in this room. The Iranian government masks a corrupt dictatorship behind the false guise of a democracy. It has turned a wealthy country, with a rich history and culture, into an economically depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed, and chaos. The longest-suffering victims of Iran's leaders are, in fact, its own people. Rather than use its resources to improve Iranian live, its oil profits go to fund Hezbollah and other terrorists that kill innocent Muslims and attack their peaceful Arab and Israeli neighbors. This wealth, which rightly belongs to Iran's people, also goes to shore up Bashar al-Assad's dictatorship, fuel Yemen's civil war, and undermine peace throughout the entire Middle East. We cannot let a murderous regime continue these destabilizing activities while building dangerous missiles, and we cannot abide by an agreement if it provides cover for the eventual construction of a nuclear program. The Iran deal was one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into. Frankly, that deal is an embarrassment to the United States, and I don't think you've heard the last of it. Believe me. It is time for the entire world to join us in demanding that Iran's government end its pursuit of death and destruction. It is time for the regime to free all Americans and citizens of other nations that they have unjustly detained. Above all, Iran's government must stop supporting terrorists, begin serving its own people, and respect the sovereign rights of its neighbors. The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Iran's people are what their leaders fear the most. This is what causes the regime to restrict internet access, tear down satellite dishes, shoot unarmed student protesters, and imprison political reformers. Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the people will face a choice. Will they continue down the path of poverty, bloodshed, and terror, or will the Iranian people return to the nation's proud roots as a center of civilization, culture, and wealth, where their people can be happy and prosperous once again? The Iranian regime's support for terror is in stark contrast to the recent commitments of many of its neighbors to fight terrorism and halt its finance, and in Saudi Arabia early last year, I was greatly honored to address the leaders of more than 50 Arab and Muslim nations. We agreed that all responsible nations must work together to confront terrorists and the Islamic extremism that inspires them. We will stop radical islamic terrorism because we cannot allow it to tear up our nation and, indeed, to tear up the entire world. We must deny the terrorists safe haven, transit, funding, and any form of support for their vile and sinister ideology. We must drive them out of our nation. It is time to expose and hold responsible those countries whose support and fi — who support and finance terror groups like al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, the Taliban, and others that slaughter innocent people. The United States and our allies are working together throughout the Middle East to crush the loser terrorists and stop the reemergence of safe havens they use to launch attacks on all of our people. Last month I announced a new strategy for victory in the fight against this evil in Afghanistan. >From now on, our security interests will dictate the length and scope of military operation, not arbitrary benchmarks and timetables set up by politicians. I have also totally changed the rules of engagement in our fight against the Taliban and other terrorist groups. In Syria and Iraq, we have made big gains toward lasting defeat of ISIS. In fact, our country has achieved more against ISIS in the last eight months than it has in many, many years combined. We seek the deescalation of the Syrian conflict, and a political solution that honors the will of the Syrian people. The actions of the criminal regime of Bashar al-Assad, including the use of chemical weapons against his own citizens, even innocent children, shock the conscience of every decent person. No society could be safe if banned chemical weapons are allowed to spread. That is why the United States carried out a missile strike on the airbase that launched the attack. We appreciate the efforts of the United Nations agencies that are providing vital humanitarian assistance in areas liberated from ISIS, and we especially thank Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon for their role in hosting refugees from the Syrian conflict. The United States is a compassionate nation and has spent billions and billions of dollars in helping to support this effort. We seek an approach to refugee resettlement that is designed to help these horribly treated people and which enables their eventual return to their home countries to be part of the rebuilding process. For the cost of resettling one refugee in the United States, we can assist more than 10 in their home region. Out of the goodness of our hearts, we offer financial assistance to hosting countries in the region and we support recent agreements of the G20 nations that will seek to host refugees as close to their home countries as possible. This is the safe, responsible, and humanitarian approach. For decades the United States has dealt with migration challenges here in the Western Hemisphere. We have learned that over the long term, uncontrolled migration is deeply unfair to both the sending and the receiving countries. For the sending countries, it reduces domestic pressure to pursue needed political and economic reform and drains them of the human capital necessary to motivate and implement those reforms. For the receiving countries, the substantial costs of uncontrolled migration are born overwhelmingly by low-income citizens whose concerns are often ignored by both media and government. I want to salute the work of the United Nations in seeking to address the problems that cause people to flee from their home. The United Nations and African Union led peacekeeping missions to have invaluable contributions in stabilizing conflict in Africa. The United States continues to lead the world in humanitarian assistance, including famine prevention and relief, in South Sudan, Somalia, and northern Nigeria and Yemen. We have invested in better health and opportunity all over the world through programs like PEPFAR, which funds AIDS relief, the President’s Malaria Initiative, the Global Health Security Agenda, the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery, and the Women Entrepreneur's Finance Initiative, part of our commitment to empowering women all across the globe. We also thank — we also thank the secretary general for recognizing that the United Nations must reform if it is to be an effective partner in confronting threats to sovereignty, security, and prosperity. Too often the focus of this organization has not been on results, but on bureaucracy and process. In some cases, states that seek to subvert this institution's noble end have hijacked the very systems that are supposed to advance them. For example, it is a massive source of embarrassment to the United Nations that some governments with egregious human rights records sit on the UN Human Rights Council. The United States is one out of 193 countries in the United Nations, and yet we pay 22 percent of the entire budget and more. In fact, we pay far more than anybody realizes. The United States bears an unfair cost burden, but to be fair, if it could actually accomplish all of its stated goals, especially the goal of peace, this investment would easily be well worth it. Major portions of the world are in conflict, and some, in fact, are going to hell, but the powerful people in this room, under the guidance and auspices of the United Nations, can solve many of these vicious and complex problems. The American people hope that one day soon the United Nations can be a much more accountable and effective advocate for human dignity and freedom around the world. In the meantime, we believe that no nation should have to bear a disproportionate share of the burden, militarily or financially. Nations of the world must take a greater role in promoting secure and prosperous societies in their own region. That is why in the Western Hemisphere the United States has stood against the corrupt, destabilizing regime in Cuba and embraced the enduring dream of the Cuban people to live in freedom. My administration recently announced that we will not lift sanctions on the Cuban government until it makes fundamental reforms. We have also imposed tough calibrated sanctions on the socialist Maduro regime in Venezuela, which has brought a once thriving nation to the brink of total collapse. The socialist dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro has inflicted terrible pain and suffering on the good people of that country. This corrupt regime destroyed a prosperous nation — prosperous nation, by imposing a failed ideology that has produced poverty and misery everywhere it has been tried. To make matters worse, Maduro has defied his own people, stealing power from their elected representatives, to preserve his disastrous rule. The Venezuelan people are starving, and their country is collapsing. Their democratic institutions are being destroyed. The situation is completely unacceptable, and we cannot stand by and watch. As a responsible neighbor and friend, we and all others have a goal — that goal is to help them regain their freedom, recover their country, and restore their democracy. I would like to thank leaders in this room for condemning the regime and providing vital support to the Venezuelan people. The United States has taken important steps to hold the regime accountable. We are prepared to take further action if the government of Venezuela persists on its path to impose authoritarian rule on the Venezuelan people. We are fortunate to have incredibly strong and healthy trade relationships with many of the Latin American countries gathered here today. Our economic bond forms a critical foundation for advancing peace and prosperity for all of our people and all of our neighbors. I ask every country represented here today to be prepared to do more to address this very real crisis. We call for the full restoration of democracy and political freedoms in Venezuela. The problem in Venezuela is not that socialism has been poorly implemented, but that socialism has been faithfully implemented. >From the Soviet Union to Cuba to Venezuela, wherever true socialism or communism has been adopted, it has delivered anguish and devastation and failure. Those who preach the tenets of these discredited ideologies only contribute to the continued suffering of the people who live under these cruel systems. America stands with every person living under a brutal regime. Our respect for sovereignty is also a call for action. All people deserve a government that cares for their safety, their interests, and their well-being, including their prosperity. In America, we seek stronger ties of business and trade with all nations of goodwill, but this trade must be fair and it must be reciprocal. For too long the American people were told that mammoth, multinational trade deals, unaccountable international tribunals, and powerful global bureaucracies were the best way to promote their success. But as those promises flowed, millions of jobs vanished and thousands of factories disappeared. Others gamed the system and broke the rules, and our great middle class, once the bedrock of American prosperity, was forgotten and left behind, but they are forgotten no more and they will never be forgotten again. While America will pursue cooperation and commerce with other nations, we are renewing our commitment to the first duty of every government, the duty of our citizens. This bond is the source of America's strength and that of every responsible nation represented here today. If this organization is to have any hope of successfully confronting the challenges before us, it will depend, as President Truman said some 70 years ago, on the independent strength of its members. If we are to embrace the opportunities of the future and overcome the present dangers together, there can be no substantive for strong, sovereign, and independent nations, nations that are rooted in the histories and invested in their destiny, nations that seek allies to befriend, not enemies to conquer, and most important of all, nations that are home to men and women who are willing to sacrifice for their countries, their fellow citizens, and for all that is best in the human spirit. In remembering the great victory that led to this body's founding, we must never forget that those heroes who fought against evil, also fought for the nations that they love. Patriotism led the Poles to die to save Poland, the French to fight for a free France, and the Brits to stand strong for Britain. Today, if we do not invest ourselves, our hearts, our minds, and our nations, if we will not build strong families, safe communities, and healthy societies for ourselves, no one can do it for us. This is the ancient wish of every people and the deepest yearning that lives inside every sacred soul. So let this be our mission, and let this be our message to the world. We will fight together, sacrifice together, and stand together for peace, for freedom, for justice, for family, for humanity, and for the almighty God who made us all. Thank you, God bless you, God bless the nations of the world, and God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
