Will President Obama Follow His UN Speech with Action This Year?

Tbere has been a flood of media attention on the UN addresses of US President Obama and Iranian President Rouhani on Tuesday in New York City. Rouhani spoke after Obama, asking for a position of respect for Iran and repeating Iran's position that Iran has the right to develop nuclear materials for peaceful purposes, including the right to enrich uranium. Obama was first at the podium, and he said that Iran should have access to nuclear materials for peaceful purposes, but did not comment on who should provide those materials. The President welcomed the new Iranian government's pursuit of a "more moderate course," saying it should offer the basis for a breakthrough on Iran's nuclear impasse with the UN and the US. As he did at the beginning of his first term in 2009, Obama again signaled his willingness to directly engage Iran's leaders. He told the UN General Assembly audience he has directed Secretary of State John Kerry to pursue that diplomacy with Teheran, in conjunction with the five other world powers, noting that it may prove too difficult but that it is "a path that must be tested." Kerry will join representatives from those nations Thursday in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu said Tuesday that the world should be cautious about Iran's new outreach to the West. "Iran thinks soothing words and token actions will enable it to continue on its path to the bomb," Netanyahu said. But he added that he welcomes Obama's efforts to engage Rouhani. Obama said he agrees with many in the US and around the world who say Rouhani's "conciliatory words will have to be matched by actions that are transparent and verifiable." There has been speculation that Obama and Rouhani would meet one-on-one on the sidelines at the UN, but US officials said after the President's speech that no meeting would take place. In Iran, the main domestic TV channels did not run the speech live. Concerning other matters, the President said he encourages the effort to seal a lasting peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, noting that the two sides have resumed direct talks, partly as a result of extensive lobbying by Kerry. Obama praised both Israeli and Palestinian leaders for their willingness to take "significant political risks" in getting back to the negotiating table. He said the United States must recognize that Israel's security depends on the formation of a Palestinian state. Later this week, President Obama will meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. He'll also hold talks at the White House next week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The last Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, repeatedly threatened to destroy Israel, and Israeli leaders have pushed Obama to be more forceful with the threat of military action in response to Teheran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon. Severe international sanctions have had a substantial effect on Iran, leading to a 40% spike in inflation and high unemployment, leaving the Iranian public frustrated with a deteriorating economy. This led to Rouhani's election and is responsible for his conciliatory tone. But it is still unclear whether Iran is willing to take the steps the US requires before easing the sanctions, including curbing uranium enrichment and shutting down the Fordo underground nuclear facility. Top Democratic and Republican senators sent Obama separate letters this week that also urged him to make clear to Teheran's new leadership that the US will not accept a nuclear-capable Iran. Congressional officials from both parties have urged Obama to maintain tough sanctions until Iran makes significant nuclear concessions. The President was more firm in expressing his position concerning Syria's chemical weapons of mass destruction. He said the future of the international body itself may be jeopardized if it fails to meet the challenge over what to do about Syria's chemical weapons, calling on the Security Council to pass a resolution to enforce consequences if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fails to follow a US-Russian deal to turn over his CWMD stockpiles. Obama also defended the White House's decision to maintain ties with the interim government in Egypt, which took over after the military ousted the country's first democratically elected leader, criticizing Morsi for being unable or unwilling to meet the Egyptian people's expectations. However, he said future American support "will depend on Egypt's progress in pursuing a democratic path." ~~~~~ Dear readers, there is much to consider in President Obama's UN speech. We know that his major addresses are usually excellent but that the implementation of their ideas often fails. We will now have to watch events unfold -- will the Iranian talks be tough but productive? Will Obama's active leadership lead to a real success in ridding Syria of al-Assad's chemical weapons? Is the President ready to invest himself forcefully in the Israel-Palestine process, for that is the only possible path to peace. We must hope that in this case the past is not the prologue to the future.