Bush Urges U.N. To Fight For Freedom

President Announces New Sanctions Against Myanmar, But Only Briefly Mentions Iran

(CBS/AP)  President Bush announced new sanctions Tuesday against the military dictatorship in Myanmar, accusing it of imposing "a 19-year reign of fear" that denies basic freedoms of speech, assembly and worship.

"Americans are outraged by the situation in Burma," the president said in an address to the U.N. General Assembly. The military junta renamed the Asian country Myanmar, but the United States does not recognize the change.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a bitter foe of the United States, sat in the chamber and checked his watch during Mr. Bush's remarks. First lady Laura Bush, also present for the president's speech, walked right by the seated Iranian president. The two had no contact.

Instead of Iraq or terror, though, Mr. Bush's theme was liberty, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod.

After signaling out Burma, Mr. Bush turned next to Cuba.

"In Cuba, the long rule of a cruel dictator is nearing its end," said Mr. Bush.

The Cuban delegation promptly walked out, adds Axelrod.

Mr. Bush urged other nations to support the struggle for democracy in Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon. He also challenged the U.N. to uphold its pledge to fight for freedom in lands of poverty and terror.

"The nations in this chamber have our differences, yet there are some areas where we can all agree," Mr. Bush said. "When innocent people are trapped in a life of murder and fear, the declaration is not being upheld. When millions of children starve to death or perish from a mosquito bite, we're not doing our duty in the world. When whole societies are cut off from the prosperity of the global economy, we're all worse off."

"Changing these underlying conditions is what the declaration calls the work of larger freedom and it must be the work of every nation in this assembly," he said. "This great institution must work for great purposes: to free people from tyranny and violence, hunger and diseases, illiteracy and ignorance and poverty and despair."

Mr. Bush urged the U.N. to reform its Human Rights Council, created to replace the discredited Human Rights Commission. But Mr. Bush criticized the new body for ignoring abuses in places like Iran "while focusing its criticism excessively on Israel."

"The American people are disappointed by the failures of the Human Rights Council," Mr. Bush said. "The United Nations must reform its own Human Rights Council."

But the president's call for change came with the suggestion of a deal: the United States' support for the highly contentious issue of expanding the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful body. Mr. Bush suggested that Japan is "well-qualified" to be an additional member and said "other nations should be considered as well."

The council has 10 rotating members elected for two-year terms and five permanent members with veto power - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France. Mr. Bush said the United States would listen to all "good ideas."

Mr. Bush singled out Myanmar for particular attention.

"Basic freedoms of speech, assembly and worship are severely restricted," he said. "Ethnic minorities are persecuted. Forced child labor, human trafficking and rape are common. The regime is holding more than a thousand political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party was elected overwhelmingly by the Burmese people in 1990.

"The ruling junta remains unyielding, yet the people's desire for freedom is unmistakable," he said.

Mr. Bush said the United States would tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers and impose an expanded visa ban on people responsible for human rights violations, as well as their family members. "We will continue to support the efforts of humanitarian groups working to alleviate suffering in Burma and urge the United Nations and all nations to use their diplomatic and economic leverage to help the Burmese people reclaim their freedom," he said.

The policies came as Myanmar's military government issued a threat Monday to the barefoot Buddhist monks who led 100,000 people marching through a major city. It was the strongest protest against the repressive regime in two decades.

About a dozen anti-war protesters were arrested during a peaceful demonstration of President Bush's speech before the U.N. General Assembly. They were among about 400 people opposing the Bush Administration's war in Iraq, and its incarceration in Guantanamo Bay of more than 300 men on suspicion of terrorism or links to al Qaeda or the Taliban. Many in the crowd wore orange jumpsuit in solidarity with the Guantanamo detainees.

The arrested demonstrators were taken into custody by police after kneeling on the sidewalk in an act of civil disobedience near the United Nations. One of them, 58-year-old Bill Ofenloch of Manhattan, said they were trying to serve an "arrest warrant" on Mr. Bush for "high crimes against humanity."

The president spent Monday trying to revive the Mideast peace process. He was reminded of the hurdles as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas insisted that a U.S. peace conference deal with "issues of substance," a sign of old skepticism that accompanies new hope.

Late Tuesday morning, Mr. Bush was to meet with another friend under tense circumstances, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The Iraqi leader is deeply frustrated over the killing of 11 Iraqi civilians by security guards with Blackwater USA, a private contractor.

[waynabq]

Bush said

"Americans are outraged by the situation in Burma," the president said in an address to the U.N. General Assembly.

No,it''s more like the World is outraged by the Chimp''s bloody and unnecessary invasion of Iraq that''s killed nearly a million Iraqis for no good reason.

The sad fact is 99% of all Americans wouldn''t be able to find Burma on a map if you paid them to do it and they frankly don''t give a cr"@p. Look at the monkey that "elected" twice. Bush is a freakin'' walking and talking freak show.

[waynabq]

Bush "fighting" for freedom? More like "Free Dumb".

[fake-id-2009]

You don''t call your Generals liars. The guys overseas are pretty pissed off about that. She''s alienated the military. It would have to take a willing suspension of disbelief for anyone in the military to want to follow her as Commander in Chief now. Bad move. Posted by mudrose at 01:21 PM : Sep 25, 2007

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I''d sure like to know your source for that little tidbit.

"...willing suspension of disbelief...?"

When I served under Reagan I had to "suspend my beliefs." For example, I believed it was wrong for Reagan not to retaliate against Hezbollah when they killed over 240 U.S. military personnel in the Beirut barracks bombing. I believed it was wrong to sell Saddam WMD to kill Iranians, and to sell Iranians arms to kill Iraqis.

And what about all the generals who were fired by Bush because they KNEW he didn''t know *** he was doing? They weren''t liars but they were fired anyway.

I''m glad I''m not in the military having to follow the current chimp, er'' CinC.

Besides, I know a lot of WWII soldiers who cursed the very existence of MacArthur. And our history is full of generals who didn''t quite have it all together. Go study it.

[fake-id-2009]

Hey, Is there a haunted houses next door to you? Did you always think there was, well you can find out if it is there or not by going to,

www.poconocommunitynews.com/haunt
edhouses.html

Posted by reporter14 at 02:20 PM : Sep 26, 2007
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*** do haunted houses have to do with this story?

[fake-id-2009]

...Hillary is not only going to have a problem with the international community, which is nothing to worry about since we have had women in government like Thatcher, Mier, etc. In other words to be expected. ... Posted by mudrose at 01:21 PM : Sep 25, 2007

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ROFLMMFAO!!!

As if Bush hasn''t had a problem with the international community!!! More world leaders and world citizens hate us now than before March 2003.

[fake-id-2009]

Excuse mudrose--she has this thing about homos and dirty butts. After all--a mud rose is a ******* filled ***--that little winking eye is the rose and the dooo doooo is the mud---mudrose--an affectionate term for a booty hole. So when Mudrose speaks on buttfvcks or dirty behinds--she/he is really masturbating her moniker. LOL

Posted by toldyouso21 at 10:09 AM : Sep 26, 2007

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Oooooo...! Ooouch...! Good one...!

ROFLMMFAO!!!

[j4401]

The Real Reason We''re In Iraq:
An influential group of conservatives convinced President George W. Bush that it was in America''s best interests to conquer Iraq as a first step toward dominating the oil-producing nations in the Middle East. There was no "exit plan" because we never intended to exit. The plan was, and is, to build military bases in Iraq and stay there forever. Our leaders see Iraq as a place to make money. So Bush & Co. have set up their friends to cash in on the rebuilding of Iraq.

[pastdue1]

You don''''''''t call your Generals liars. The guys overseas are pretty pissed off about that. She''''''''s alienated the military. It would have to take a willing suspension of disbelief for anyone in the military to want to follow her as Commander in Chief now. Bad move. Posted by mudrose at 01:21 PM : Sep 25, 2007

Would you happen to have read about Gen. MacArthur? He was a general during the Korean War and he refused to acknowledge the 38th parallel, the demarcation line of the war. Truman fired him. MacArther came home and was going to run for president and he made money on the lecture trail, but it didn''t take long for him to do what old Generals are supposed to do ~ "He just faded away" and President Truman continued on with his job and the military continued on with their job.

[ioweign]

but hating the President is just easier I guess.

Posted by YankeeRebel7 at 09:14 PM : Sep 25, 2007

Well the fact that he''''s an incompetent mongoloid idiot, war monger and a religiously delusional mass murderer makes it pretty easy to hate him.

Posted by SgtRDS at 09:55 PM : Sep 25, 2007

Randy,

YankeeRebel7 is proof "No Child Left Behind" is not working !

[coffee_guy1]

Fight fer banks.