Analysis: Obama's Good Week at the U.N.

Marc Ambinder: Resolution Tangibly Advances the Cause of Global Nonproliferation

(CBS)  The "On The Marc" column is written by The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, CBS News' chief political consultant.

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The most remarkable story of the week -- the most important story to most Americans - was not the story that featured the President of the United States and the leaders of the world. The FBI and NYPD may have broken up the biggest domestic terrorism plot since Sept. 11. And this administration, deliberately, chose to stay in the background, chose to let senior law enforcement officials take the lead, and did nothing to generate the sort of panic and fear that the office of the president, when marshaled to discuss these types of things, can bring to bear, even by accident.

In general, President Obama had a pretty good week, and for that, he can thank the contingencies of timing. The United States was chosen to chair the meeting of the United Nations Security Council, and a while ago, the White House decided to focus on nuclear proliferation. They could have chosen climate change, or poverty, or development -- but administration planners believed that of all those existential threats, the most good could come from a meeting and resolution dedicated to ridding the world of nuclear weapons.

It just so happens that Obama himself, the first president of the nuclear age who grew up with a nuanced view of American power, "appreciates the gravity of the threat in ways that previous presidents have not," a senior administration official told me yesterday. There may be something to that, Obama exceptionalism aside, but history is conspiring against nuclear proliferation in a way it never has before. The advent of stateless terror, the easy and rapid transfer of technology across borders, the diffusion of nuclear know-how and the isolation of rogue regimes have convinced leaders of the world's most powerful nations that the status quo is unsustainable. Even Russia and China, with vested financial and security interests in Iran and North Korea, are recognizing the basic logic: in a world where nuclear weapons move freely, the chances of a destabilizing nuclear explosion are growing.

The resolution adopted Thursday doesn't sanction anyone, but it tangibly advances the cause of global nonproliferation. Mostly, it deals with so-called "negative assurances." When states leave the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), states that had supplied them with technology for civilian or "peaceful" nuclear energy programs now have the right to demand their equipment back. Believe it or not, that simple step had been resisted by many powers for years. Another actual step: the resolution called on transgressors by name, including Israel, which has maintained a non-ambiguous ambiguity under U.S. cover for 40 years. The resolution urges them to sign the treaty.

The groundwork laid here applies to North Korea and Iran today, but it might apply to a state like Burma or Syria tomorrow. And the foundation exists now for a broader re-examination of the treaty itself next April, when the signatories to the NPT meet to review and possibly revise it.

Among the president's other accomplishments: Russia now recognizes the inevitability of some sanctions against Iran, even as it continues to insist that sanctions won't do much to change Iran's behavior. Skepticism is still warranted, but never in recent memory has Russian come this far.

The rest of the week was fairly ho-hum. The president once again angered Israel and triggered a ferocious backlash from conservatives by referring to Israeli "occupation" of Palestinian territory, although, to be sure, his rhetoric was little different than the tone adopted by the Bush administration in its final two years. He brokered a meeting between Israeli and the Palestinian Authority that produced two handshakes but little in the way of progress.

A conclave on climate change produced next to nothing except for the litany of complaints that the developed nations of the world are still too parochial to take the steps necessary to deal with it. Here, Obama claims to be hamstrung by the domestic politics of carbon, but his administration's decision to focus on health care might have come at the expense of persuading the country to adopt a different posture on energy.

In Washington, he scored a bit of a win by not being there.

He let the Democrats and Republicans haggle over important health care reform details, and he didn't have to wade in and become politicized. It's safe to say that if health care was 80 percent done at the beginning of the week, it is no less than 83 percent done at the end of the week.

Perhaps the biggest coup of the week: Obama managed to avoid avowed non-allies of the United States. No smiling handshakes with Hugo Chavez, no brush-passes with the president of Iran, and -- mercifully -- he managed to slip out of the United Nations before Muammar Qaddafi.

[Orlandojon]

It's very telling when after Obama's speech to the UN our enemies are cheering the loudest while our friends we just threw under the bus, have to make the speech our President should have made. There is now a true world leader and it's Netanyahu.

[Orlandojon]

Only the state run media would call apologizing to the world and failing to call Iran a liar when we have the proof a good week.

[readyiv]

lol...iran has a second nuke site close to up and running. guess iran didn't get the nonproliferation memo from obama. America is so sorry for all the world's problems and we obviously caused them all!What a great day! pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

[bradkt1]

This whole right wing concept of "American exceptionalism" is at the heart of why too many nations see us as the ugly Americans. It may make for good domestic political soundbites, but we are seen by too many nations as arrogant with our power. This doctrine of "American exceptionalism" is the basis for our trying to be the world's policeman instead of taking care of our problems at home...and we have a lot of problem at home that have been sorely neglected.

Yes, we are a great nation when we choose to rise to the occasion, but that doesn't happen when we just beat our chests to the world and mindlessly chant "USA. USA!" We are at our best and are most effective when we work with other nations to solve problems, not when we tell the rest of the world that we don't care what they think and just go it alone.

[kevjustice]

Obama is the smartest and most caring president ever.

[inketolstoy]

"Obama is the smartest and most caring president ever."

Now stop calling anyone who disagrees with you racist and stupid and sing along my liberal friends (that isn't a request, it is an order):

Hooray, Mr. President we honor your great plans
to make this country's economy number one again

Ahhhhh, being liberal is fun.

[olyboy]

The first president in history to sell us down the river and you think he had a good week? What are you, Canadian?

[Vet_Turner]

Nice to see that each time they catch a domestic terrorists that the President does not come out to announce it like Bush did.

[cs4466]

Wow, good job!! Thank you, Mr. President!

Mr. Ambinder .... a good week for Obama? This is typical, is not what is good for your country as JFK used to say, it's what is good for Obama!!! You are focusing on Obama just as he does ... our President is more concerned about himself and his popularity among all of the world's communist and socialist dictators than he is about our own country ... and you sir are publishing an article "A good week for Obama" ... why? Because Qadaffi, Chavez, Ahmadjidenad and Castro love him and Obama turned his back on Poland, Georgia, Israel and UK. Mr. Obama talks and talks and talks to promote his liberal agenda but he does not listen .... his general requests more troops to fight OBAMA'S WAR in Afghanistan but he has been putting it off for a month ... I hope you don't have any sons or daughters fighting in Afghanistan do you Mr. Ambinder ... he is told to stop the CIA investigations by seven previous CIA Directors (35 Years) and he after saying we need to move forward and not look back .. Obama tells Holder to continue ... OBAMA=ACORN=CORRUPTION, Obama is trying to shove a Public Option down everybody's throat as his Obamacare Plan is still being pushed by Democrats in Congress regardless of the fact that most Americans don't want it ... Obama is still trying to close Gitmo but he can't unless he takes the terrorists to live with him in the White House ..... a good week for Obama ... this morning we are finding out Iran has two nuclear facilities ... Obama is going to accomplish Global Nuclear Disarmament all by himself ... at the UN ... really??? are you serious Mr. Ambinder???? ... a good week for Obama what about the United States ... Mr. Ambinder???

[credibility2]

The likes of Khadafi, Chavez, Castro, etc. commending President Obama at this forum is hardly a cause celebre - more like a cause for extreme concern. This president is nothing but an apologist. He should keep his fat lips shut instead of whining and moaning to the UN about what he thinks is wrong with the US. His arrogance is taking credit for everything is an insult. He is their for the people, by the people and of the people. He wasn't elected (and not by a mandate in popular vote) to puff up his extremist chest touting I did this, I did that, etc. His also chairing a meeting at the UN is more proof that this man is trying to be another Napolean. He is being given too much credit. He needs to shut his fat mouth and act respectable and like a citizen of the US. He is president of the US and not the UN or the world. He is deplorable, despicable and un-patriotic. As an Independent, I'm appalled at what he's done to his platform. Stop the puffery and bluster. Thank you groveling press and mindless millions that voted something like this to be our president. Obama's extremist naivete is scary. He sounds more like a person trying to rile up the mindless masses to overthrow the government - our government. Malcontent and despot is what Obama is.

[xyzme1]

"This president is nothing but an apologist. He should keep his fat lips shut instead of whining and moaning to the UN about what he thinks is wrong with the US."

He should keep his FAT LIPS shut? Good Lord Man, you need to go back to your clan rally. I could feel the racism as I read your post. You folks make me ill.