English subtitles for clip: File:The President Addresses the 70th United Nations General Assembly.webm
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1 00:00:00,900 --> 00:00:03,040 President Obama: Mr. President, Mr. Secretary 2 00:00:03,036 --> 00:00:12,316 General, fellow delegates, ladies and gentlemen: 3 00:00:12,312 --> 00:00:15,552 Seventy years after the founding of the United 4 00:00:15,548 --> 00:00:19,448 Nations, it is worth reflecting on what, 5 00:00:19,452 --> 00:00:23,052 together, the members of this body have helped 6 00:00:23,056 --> 00:00:26,556 to achieve. 7 00:00:26,559 --> 00:00:32,129 Out of the ashes of the Second World War, having 8 00:00:32,132 --> 00:00:37,942 witnessed the unthinkable power of the atomic age, the 9 00:00:37,937 --> 00:00:41,077 United States has worked with many nations in this 10 00:00:41,074 --> 00:00:47,384 Assembly to prevent a third world war -- by forging 11 00:00:47,380 --> 00:00:51,650 alliances with old adversaries; by supporting 12 00:00:51,651 --> 00:00:54,291 the steady emergence of strong democracies 13 00:00:54,287 --> 00:00:57,927 accountable to their people instead of any foreign 14 00:00:57,924 --> 00:01:03,464 power; and by building an international system that 15 00:01:03,463 --> 00:01:07,363 imposes a cost on those who choose conflict over 16 00:01:07,367 --> 00:01:13,477 cooperation, an order that recognizes the dignity and 17 00:01:13,473 --> 00:01:15,473 equal worth of all people. 18 00:01:18,545 --> 00:01:20,685 That is the work of seven decades. 19 00:01:22,849 --> 00:01:26,419 That is the ideal that this body, at its best, has pursued. 20 00:01:29,222 --> 00:01:32,322 Of course, there have been too many times when, 21 00:01:32,325 --> 00:01:35,195 collectively, we have fallen short of these ideals. 22 00:01:37,330 --> 00:01:41,030 Over seven decades, terrible conflicts have claimed 23 00:01:41,034 --> 00:01:43,034 untold victims. 24 00:01:44,871 --> 00:01:52,411 But we have pressed forward, slowly, steadily, to make a 25 00:01:52,412 --> 00:01:56,752 system of international rules and norms that are 26 00:01:56,749 --> 00:02:00,789 better and stronger and more consistent. 27 00:02:03,890 --> 00:02:07,960 It is this international order that has underwritten 28 00:02:07,961 --> 00:02:11,561 unparalleled advances in human liberty and prosperity. 29 00:02:13,900 --> 00:02:16,370 It is this collective endeavor that's brought 30 00:02:16,369 --> 00:02:19,939 about diplomatic cooperation between the world's major 31 00:02:19,939 --> 00:02:24,079 powers, and buttressed a global economy that has 32 00:02:24,077 --> 00:02:26,217 lifted more than a billion people from poverty. 33 00:02:28,948 --> 00:02:32,448 It is these international principles that helped 34 00:02:32,452 --> 00:02:35,522 constrain bigger countries from imposing our will on 35 00:02:35,522 --> 00:02:40,692 smaller ones, and advanced the emergence of democracy 36 00:02:40,693 --> 00:02:44,193 and development and individual liberty on 37 00:02:44,197 --> 00:02:46,197 every continent. 38 00:02:48,434 --> 00:02:51,704 This progress is real. 39 00:02:51,704 --> 00:02:54,544 It can be documented in lives saved, and agreements 40 00:02:54,541 --> 00:02:58,911 forged, and diseases conquered, and in mouths fed. 41 00:03:01,948 --> 00:03:04,648 And yet, we come together today knowing that the march 42 00:03:04,651 --> 00:03:10,891 of human progress never travels in a straight line, 43 00:03:10,890 --> 00:03:14,760 that our work is far from complete; that dangerous 44 00:03:14,761 --> 00:03:17,801 currents risk pulling us back into a darker, more 45 00:03:17,797 --> 00:03:19,797 disordered world. 46 00:03:22,201 --> 00:03:25,771 Today, we see the collapse of strongmen and fragile 47 00:03:25,772 --> 00:03:29,642 states breeding conflict, and driving innocent men, 48 00:03:29,642 --> 00:03:32,712 women and children across borders on an *epoch epic scale. 49 00:03:35,448 --> 00:03:38,418 Brutal networks of terror have stepped into the vacuum. 50 00:03:41,454 --> 00:03:45,054 Technologies that empower individuals are now also 51 00:03:45,058 --> 00:03:49,098 exploited by those who spread disinformation, or 52 00:03:49,095 --> 00:03:52,465 suppress dissent, or radicalize our youth. 53 00:03:55,735 --> 00:03:57,975 Global capital flows have powered growth and 54 00:03:57,971 --> 00:04:02,171 investment, but also increased risk of contagion, 55 00:04:02,175 --> 00:04:04,345 weakened the bargaining power of workers, and 56 00:04:04,344 --> 00:04:07,014 accelerated inequality. 57 00:04:11,117 --> 00:04:14,657 How should we respond to these trends? 58 00:04:18,324 --> 00:04:21,624 There are those who argue that the ideals enshrined in the 59 00:04:21,628 --> 00:04:29,598 U.N. charter are unachievable or out of date -- a legacy of a 60 00:04:29,602 --> 00:04:31,972 postwar era not suited to our own. 61 00:04:36,009 --> 00:04:38,179 Effectively, they argue for a return to the rules that 62 00:04:38,177 --> 00:04:41,077 applied for most of human history and that pre-date 63 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:46,220 this institution: the belief that power is a zero-sum 64 00:04:46,219 --> 00:04:50,819 game; that might makes right; that strong states 65 00:04:50,823 --> 00:04:56,033 must impose their will on weaker ones; that the rights 66 00:04:56,029 --> 00:05:00,369 of individuals don't matter; and that in a time of rapid 67 00:05:00,366 --> 00:05:03,106 change, order must be imposed by force. 68 00:05:08,875 --> 00:05:11,245 On this basis, we see some major powers assert 69 00:05:11,244 --> 00:05:13,584 themselves in ways that contravene international law. 70 00:05:16,683 --> 00:05:19,453 We see an erosion of the democratic principles and 71 00:05:19,452 --> 00:05:22,022 human rights that are fundamental to this 72 00:05:22,021 --> 00:05:26,961 institution's mission; information is strictly 73 00:05:26,959 --> 00:05:29,959 controlled, the space for civil society restricted. 74 00:05:34,333 --> 00:05:37,103 We're told that such retrenchment is required to 75 00:05:37,103 --> 00:05:40,403 beat back disorder; that it's the only way to stamp 76 00:05:40,406 --> 00:05:43,546 out terrorism, or prevent foreign meddling. 77 00:05:46,379 --> 00:05:49,179 In accordance with this logic, we should support 78 00:05:49,182 --> 00:05:52,452 tyrants like Bashar al-Assad, who drops barrel 79 00:05:52,452 --> 00:05:55,222 bombs to massacre innocent children, because the 80 00:05:55,221 --> 00:05:56,761 alternative is surely worse. 81 00:05:56,756 --> 00:06:02,766 The increasing skepticism of our international order can 82 00:06:05,465 --> 00:06:09,735 also be found in the most advanced democracies. 83 00:06:12,238 --> 00:06:16,678 We see greater polarization, more frequent gridlock; 84 00:06:16,676 --> 00:06:21,516 movements on the far right, and sometimes the left, that 85 00:06:21,514 --> 00:06:24,484 insist on stopping the trade that binds our fates to 86 00:06:24,484 --> 00:06:28,424 other nations, calling for the building of walls to 87 00:06:28,421 --> 00:06:30,421 keep out immigrants. 88 00:06:32,525 --> 00:06:34,995 Most ominously, we see the fears of ordinary people 89 00:06:34,994 --> 00:06:39,064 being exploited through appeals to sectarianism, or 90 00:06:39,065 --> 00:06:45,605 tribalism, or racism, or anti-Semitism; appeals to a 91 00:06:45,605 --> 00:06:48,505 glorious past before the body politic was infected by 92 00:06:48,508 --> 00:06:53,848 those who look different, or worship God differently; a 93 00:06:53,846 --> 00:06:55,316 politics of us versus them. 94 00:06:55,314 --> 00:07:01,084 The United States is not immune from this. 95 00:07:03,089 --> 00:07:06,589 Even as our economy is growing and our troops have 96 00:07:06,592 --> 00:07:12,362 largely returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, we see in 97 00:07:12,365 --> 00:07:17,205 our debates about America's role in the world a notion 98 00:07:17,203 --> 00:07:23,173 of strength that is defined by opposition to old 99 00:07:26,779 --> 00:07:31,489 enemies, perceived adversaries, a rising China, 100 00:07:31,484 --> 00:07:36,124 or a resurgent Russia; a revolutionary Iran, or an 101 00:07:36,122 --> 00:07:38,362 Islam that is incompatible with peace. 102 00:07:42,094 --> 00:07:46,664 We see an argument made that the only strength that 103 00:07:46,666 --> 00:07:51,906 matters for the United States is bellicose words 104 00:07:53,906 --> 00:07:59,516 and shows of military force; that cooperation and 105 00:07:59,512 --> 00:08:01,452 diplomacy will not work. 106 00:08:01,447 --> 00:08:07,457 As President of the United States, I am mindful of the 107 00:08:09,555 --> 00:08:14,565 dangers that we face; they cross my desk every morning. 108 00:08:17,263 --> 00:08:19,433 I lead the strongest military that the world has 109 00:08:19,432 --> 00:08:23,632 ever known, and I will never hesitate to protect my 110 00:08:23,636 --> 00:08:28,406 country or our allies, unilaterally and by force 111 00:08:28,407 --> 00:08:30,407 where necessary. 112 00:08:32,812 --> 00:08:36,482 But I stand before you today believing in my core that 113 00:08:36,482 --> 00:08:40,122 we, the nations of the world, cannot return to the 114 00:08:40,119 --> 00:08:43,159 old ways of conflict and coercion. 115 00:08:45,524 --> 00:08:47,524 We cannot look backwards. 116 00:08:48,794 --> 00:08:53,434 We live in an integrated world -- one in which we all 117 00:08:53,432 --> 00:08:55,432 have a stake in each other's success. 118 00:08:57,703 --> 00:09:01,203 We cannot turn those forces of integration. 119 00:09:04,277 --> 00:09:07,247 No nation in this Assembly can insulate itself from the 120 00:09:07,246 --> 00:09:12,486 threat of terrorism, or the risk of financial contagion; 121 00:09:12,485 --> 00:09:16,855 the flow of migrants, or the danger of a warming planet. 122 00:09:20,026 --> 00:09:25,836 The disorder we see is not driven solely by competition 123 00:09:25,831 --> 00:09:30,401 between nations or any single ideology. 124 00:09:30,403 --> 00:09:36,143 And if we cannot work together more effectively, 125 00:09:36,142 --> 00:09:38,282 we will all suffer the consequences. 126 00:09:42,281 --> 00:09:44,581 That is true for the United States, as well. 127 00:09:44,583 --> 00:09:48,853 No matter how powerful our military, how strong our 128 00:09:48,854 --> 00:09:54,824 economy, we understand the United States cannot solve 129 00:09:57,396 --> 00:09:58,736 the world's problems alone. 130 00:09:58,731 --> 00:10:05,801 In Iraq, the United States learned the hard lesson that 131 00:10:05,805 --> 00:10:10,945 even hundreds of thousands of brave, effective troops, 132 00:10:10,943 --> 00:10:14,713 trillions of dollars from our Treasury, cannot by 133 00:10:14,714 --> 00:10:16,884 itself impose stability on a foreign land. 134 00:10:19,952 --> 00:10:23,322 Unless we work with other nations under the mantle of 135 00:10:23,322 --> 00:10:26,262 international norms and principles and law that 136 00:10:26,258 --> 00:10:28,758 offer legitimacy to our efforts, we will not succeed. 137 00:10:32,365 --> 00:10:35,135 And unless we work together to defeat the ideas that 138 00:10:35,134 --> 00:10:37,774 drive different communities in a country like Iraq into 139 00:10:37,770 --> 00:10:42,610 conflict, any order that our militaries can impose will 140 00:10:42,608 --> 00:10:44,608 be temporary. 141 00:10:48,647 --> 00:10:51,987 Just as force alone cannot impose order 142 00:10:51,984 --> 00:10:57,024 internationally, I believe in my core that repression 143 00:10:57,023 --> 00:11:00,093 cannot forge the social cohesion for nations to succeed. 144 00:11:03,462 --> 00:11:05,462 The history of the last two decades proves that in 145 00:11:05,464 --> 00:11:09,334 today's world, dictatorships are unstable. 146 00:11:09,335 --> 00:11:11,335 The strongmen of today become the spark of 147 00:11:11,337 --> 00:11:13,337 revolution tomorrow. 148 00:11:14,607 --> 00:11:17,307 You can jail your opponents, but you can't imprison ideas. 149 00:11:19,678 --> 00:11:21,848 You can try to control access to information, but 150 00:11:21,847 --> 00:11:23,847 you cannot turn a lie into truth. 151 00:11:27,553 --> 00:11:30,723 It is not a conspiracy of U.S.-backed NGOs that expose 152 00:11:30,723 --> 00:11:33,323 corruption and raise the expectations of people 153 00:11:33,325 --> 00:11:39,235 around the globe; it's technology, social media, 154 00:11:39,231 --> 00:11:42,201 and the irreducible desire of people everywhere to make 155 00:11:42,201 --> 00:11:44,201 their own choices about how they are governed. 156 00:11:49,308 --> 00:11:51,678 Indeed, I believe that in today's world, the measure 157 00:11:51,677 --> 00:11:54,777 of strength is no longer defined by the control 158 00:11:54,780 --> 00:11:56,950 of territory. 159 00:11:56,949 --> 00:12:00,489 Lasting prosperity does not come solely from the ability 160 00:12:00,486 --> 00:12:05,726 to access and extract raw materials. 161 00:12:07,793 --> 00:12:10,933 The strength of nations depends on the success of 162 00:12:10,930 --> 00:12:14,530 their people -- their knowledge, their innovation, 163 00:12:14,533 --> 00:12:17,903 their imagination, their creativity, their drive, 164 00:12:17,903 --> 00:12:20,903 their opportunity -- and that, in turn, depends upon 165 00:12:20,906 --> 00:12:23,546 individual rights and good governance and 166 00:12:23,542 --> 00:12:25,542 personal security. 167 00:12:28,414 --> 00:12:31,884 Internal repression and foreign aggression are both 168 00:12:31,884 --> 00:12:35,684 symptoms of the failure to provide this foundation. 169 00:12:38,624 --> 00:12:42,794 A politics and solidarity that depend on demonizing 170 00:12:42,795 --> 00:12:46,435 others, that draws on religious sectarianism or 171 00:12:46,432 --> 00:12:51,472 narrow tribalism or jingoism may at times look like 172 00:12:51,470 --> 00:12:56,310 strength in the moment, but over time its weakness will 173 00:12:56,308 --> 00:12:58,548 be exposed. 174 00:12:58,544 --> 00:13:00,914 And history tells us that the dark forces unleashed by 175 00:13:00,913 --> 00:13:04,213 this type of politics surely makes all of us less secure. 176 00:13:06,485 --> 00:13:10,185 Our world has been there before. 177 00:13:10,189 --> 00:13:12,189 We gain nothing from going back. 178 00:13:16,962 --> 00:13:20,032 Instead, I believe that we must go forward in pursuit 179 00:13:20,032 --> 00:13:25,302 of our ideals, not abandon them at this critical time. 180 00:13:25,304 --> 00:13:27,774 We must give expression to our best hopes, not our 181 00:13:27,773 --> 00:13:29,773 deepest fears. 182 00:13:31,343 --> 00:13:34,743 This institution was founded because men and women who 183 00:13:34,747 --> 00:13:38,217 came before us had the foresight to know that our 184 00:13:38,217 --> 00:13:41,657 nations are more secure when we uphold basic laws and 185 00:13:41,654 --> 00:13:44,654 basic norms, and pursue a path of cooperation 186 00:13:44,657 --> 00:13:46,657 over conflict. 187 00:13:48,227 --> 00:13:52,027 And strong nations, above all, have a responsibility 188 00:13:52,031 --> 00:13:54,971 to uphold this international order. 189 00:14:00,039 --> 00:14:03,209 Let me give you a concrete example. 190 00:14:03,209 --> 00:14:05,209 After I took office, I made clear that one of the 191 00:14:05,211 --> 00:14:09,581 principal achievements of this body -- the nuclear 192 00:14:09,582 --> 00:14:13,922 non-proliferation regime -- was endangered by Iran's 193 00:14:13,919 --> 00:14:15,919 violation of the NPT. 194 00:14:19,024 --> 00:14:21,524 On that basis, the Security Council tightened sanctions 195 00:14:21,527 --> 00:14:24,997 on the Iranian government, and many nations joined us 196 00:14:24,997 --> 00:14:27,967 to enforce them. 197 00:14:27,967 --> 00:14:30,937 Together, we showed that laws and agreements 198 00:14:30,936 --> 00:14:33,806 mean something. 199 00:14:33,806 --> 00:14:35,906 But we also understood that the goal of sanctions was 200 00:14:35,908 --> 00:14:38,048 not simply to punish Iran. 201 00:14:38,043 --> 00:14:40,513 Our objective was to test whether Iran could change 202 00:14:40,512 --> 00:14:44,622 course, accept constraints, and allow the world to 203 00:14:44,617 --> 00:14:47,017 verify that its nuclear program will be peaceful. 204 00:14:50,222 --> 00:14:53,622 For two years, the United States and our partners -- 205 00:14:53,626 --> 00:14:59,566 including Russia, including China -- stuck together in 206 00:14:59,565 --> 00:15:01,565 complex negotiations. 207 00:15:03,269 --> 00:15:07,169 The result is a lasting, comprehensive deal that 208 00:15:07,172 --> 00:15:09,542 prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while 209 00:15:09,541 --> 00:15:11,541 allowing it to access peaceful energy. 210 00:15:13,979 --> 00:15:17,379 And if this deal is fully implemented, the prohibition 211 00:15:17,383 --> 00:15:20,983 on nuclear weapons is strengthened, a potential 212 00:15:20,986 --> 00:15:24,986 war is averted, our world is safer. 213 00:15:28,327 --> 00:15:32,367 That is the strength of the international system when it 214 00:15:32,364 --> 00:15:34,334 works the way it should. 215 00:15:38,737 --> 00:15:42,237 That same fidelity to international order guides 216 00:15:42,241 --> 00:15:46,181 our responses to other challenges around the world. 217 00:15:50,282 --> 00:15:53,622 Consider Russia's annexation of Crimea and further 218 00:15:53,619 --> 00:15:55,619 aggression in eastern Ukraine. 219 00:15:57,323 --> 00:16:01,623 America has few economic interests in Ukraine. 220 00:16:01,627 --> 00:16:04,097 We recognize the deep and complex history between 221 00:16:04,096 --> 00:16:06,096 Russia and Ukraine. 222 00:16:08,100 --> 00:16:10,170 But we cannot stand by when the sovereignty and 223 00:16:10,169 --> 00:16:12,169 territorial integrity of a nation is 224 00:16:12,171 --> 00:16:13,641 flagrantly violated. 225 00:16:13,639 --> 00:16:16,679 If that happens without consequence in Ukraine, it 226 00:16:16,675 --> 00:16:19,245 could happen to any nation gathered here today. 227 00:16:22,414 --> 00:16:24,754 That's the basis of the sanctions that the United 228 00:16:24,750 --> 00:16:26,990 States and our partners impose on Russia. 229 00:16:26,985 --> 00:16:29,855 It's not a desire to return to a Cold War. 230 00:16:32,491 --> 00:16:34,791 Now, within Russia, state-controlled media may 231 00:16:34,793 --> 00:16:38,063 describe these events as an example of a resurgent 232 00:16:38,063 --> 00:16:44,803 Russia -- a view shared, by the way, by a number of U.S. 233 00:16:44,803 --> 00:16:48,873 politicians and commentators who have always been deeply 234 00:16:48,874 --> 00:16:53,214 skeptical of Russia, and seem to be convinced a new 235 00:16:53,212 --> 00:16:54,812 Cold War is, in fact, upon us. 236 00:16:54,813 --> 00:16:58,513 And yet, look at the results. 237 00:16:58,517 --> 00:17:02,817 The Ukrainian people are more interested than ever in 238 00:17:02,821 --> 00:17:06,491 aligning with Europe instead of Russia. 239 00:17:06,492 --> 00:17:08,792 Sanctions have led to capital flight, a 240 00:17:08,794 --> 00:17:14,264 contracting economy, a fallen ruble, and the 241 00:17:14,266 --> 00:17:16,266 emigration of more educated Russians. 242 00:17:20,739 --> 00:17:23,939 Imagine if, instead, Russia had engaged in true 243 00:17:23,942 --> 00:17:27,842 diplomacy, and worked with Ukraine and the 244 00:17:27,846 --> 00:17:30,186 international community to ensure its interests 245 00:17:30,182 --> 00:17:32,182 were protected. 246 00:17:33,719 --> 00:17:35,759 That would be better for Ukraine, but also better for 247 00:17:35,754 --> 00:17:40,494 Russia, and better for the world -- which is why we 248 00:17:40,492 --> 00:17:46,002 continue to press for this crisis to be resolved in a 249 00:17:45,998 --> 00:17:48,968 way that allows a sovereign and democratic Ukraine to 250 00:17:48,967 --> 00:17:52,967 determine its future and control its territory. 251 00:17:52,971 --> 00:17:55,541 Not because we want to isolate Russia -- we don't 252 00:17:55,541 --> 00:17:57,541 -- but because we want a strong Russia that's 253 00:17:57,543 --> 00:18:00,343 invested in working with us to strengthen the 254 00:18:00,345 --> 00:18:02,345 international system as a whole. 255 00:18:08,587 --> 00:18:13,087 Similarly, in the South China Sea, the United States 256 00:18:13,091 --> 00:18:16,661 makes no claim on territory there. 257 00:18:16,662 --> 00:18:18,662 We don't adjudicate claims. 258 00:18:20,265 --> 00:18:22,665 But like every nation gathered here, we have an 259 00:18:22,668 --> 00:18:26,768 interest in upholding the basic principles of freedom 260 00:18:26,772 --> 00:18:30,542 of navigation and the free flow of commerce, and in 261 00:18:30,542 --> 00:18:34,742 resolving disputes through international law, not the 262 00:18:34,746 --> 00:18:38,346 law of force. 263 00:18:38,350 --> 00:18:40,620 So we will defend these principles, while 264 00:18:40,619 --> 00:18:43,789 encouraging China and other claimants to resolve their 265 00:18:43,789 --> 00:18:45,789 differences peacefully. 266 00:18:51,129 --> 00:18:58,399 I say this, recognizing that diplomacy is hard; that the 267 00:18:58,403 --> 00:19:02,973 outcomes are sometimes unsatisfying; that it's 268 00:19:02,975 --> 00:19:04,975 rarely politically popular. 269 00:19:08,180 --> 00:19:11,250 But I believe that leaders of large nations, in 270 00:19:11,250 --> 00:19:13,250 particular, have an obligation to take these 271 00:19:13,252 --> 00:19:17,292 risks -- precisely because we are strong enough to 272 00:19:17,289 --> 00:19:21,029 protect our interests if, and when, diplomacy fails. 273 00:19:25,597 --> 00:19:30,167 I also believe that to move forward in this new era, we 274 00:19:30,168 --> 00:19:33,238 have to be strong enough to acknowledge when what you're 275 00:19:33,238 --> 00:19:35,238 doing is not working. 276 00:19:38,377 --> 00:19:41,047 For 50 years, the United States pursued a Cuba policy 277 00:19:41,046 --> 00:19:43,046 that failed to improve the lives of the Cuban people. 278 00:19:46,451 --> 00:19:49,051 We changed that. 279 00:19:49,054 --> 00:19:51,054 We continue to have differences with the 280 00:19:51,056 --> 00:19:52,056 Cuban government. 281 00:19:52,057 --> 00:19:54,257 We will continue to stand up for human rights. 282 00:19:54,259 --> 00:19:56,259 But we address these issues through diplomatic 283 00:19:56,261 --> 00:19:58,631 relations, and increased commerce, and 284 00:19:58,630 --> 00:20:04,570 people-to-people ties. 285 00:20:04,570 --> 00:20:07,770 As these contacts yield progress, I'm confident that 286 00:20:07,773 --> 00:20:10,743 our Congress will inevitably lift an embargo that should 287 00:20:10,742 --> 00:20:12,142 not be in place anymore. 288 00:20:12,144 --> 00:20:14,814 (applause) 289 00:20:22,888 --> 00:20:26,388 Change won't come overnight to Cuba, but I'm confident 290 00:20:26,391 --> 00:20:30,761 that openness, not coercion, will support the reforms and 291 00:20:30,762 --> 00:20:35,372 better the life the Cuban people deserve, just as I 292 00:20:35,367 --> 00:20:38,837 believe that Cuba will find its success if it pursues 293 00:20:38,837 --> 00:20:41,077 cooperation with other nations. 294 00:20:45,043 --> 00:20:47,813 Now, if it's in the interest of major powers to uphold 295 00:20:47,813 --> 00:20:51,383 international standards, it is even more true for the 296 00:20:51,383 --> 00:20:55,023 rest of the community of nations. 297 00:20:55,020 --> 00:20:57,560 Look around the world. 298 00:20:57,556 --> 00:21:05,026 From Singapore to Colombia to Senegal, the facts shows 299 00:21:05,030 --> 00:21:07,770 that nations succeed when they pursue an inclusive 300 00:21:07,766 --> 00:21:12,266 peace and prosperity within their borders, and work 301 00:21:12,270 --> 00:21:15,540 cooperatively with countries beyond their borders. 302 00:21:19,745 --> 00:21:21,985 That path is now available to a nation like Iran, 303 00:21:21,980 --> 00:21:27,650 which, as of this moment, continues to deploy violent 304 00:21:27,653 --> 00:21:29,653 proxies to advance its interests. 305 00:21:32,457 --> 00:21:34,797 These efforts may appear to give Iran leverage in 306 00:21:34,793 --> 00:21:38,493 disputes with neighbors, but they fuel sectarian conflict 307 00:21:38,497 --> 00:21:41,497 that endangers the entire region, and isolates Iran 308 00:21:41,500 --> 00:21:43,500 from the promise of trade and commerce. 309 00:21:43,502 --> 00:21:48,102 The Iranian people have a proud history, and are 310 00:21:48,106 --> 00:21:52,146 filled with extraordinary potential. 311 00:21:52,144 --> 00:21:54,114 But chanting "Death to America" does not create 312 00:21:54,112 --> 00:21:57,382 jobs, or make Iran more secure. 313 00:21:59,584 --> 00:22:02,954 If Iran chose a different path, that would be good for 314 00:22:02,954 --> 00:22:07,194 the security of the region, good for the Iranian people, 315 00:22:07,192 --> 00:22:09,192 and good for the world. 316 00:22:12,597 --> 00:22:14,767 Of course, around the globe, we will continue to be 317 00:22:14,766 --> 00:22:19,036 confronted with nations who reject these lessons of 318 00:22:19,037 --> 00:22:24,177 history, places where civil strife, border disputes, and 319 00:22:24,176 --> 00:22:27,876 sectarian wars bring about terrorist enclaves and 320 00:22:27,879 --> 00:22:29,879 humanitarian disasters. 321 00:22:32,484 --> 00:22:39,494 Where order has completely broken down, we must act, 322 00:22:39,491 --> 00:22:41,491 but we will be stronger when we act together. 323 00:22:44,529 --> 00:22:46,899 In such efforts, the United States will always do our part. 324 00:22:46,898 --> 00:22:52,868 We will do so mindful of the lessons of the past -- not 325 00:22:52,871 --> 00:22:56,011 just the lessons of Iraq, but also the example of 326 00:22:56,007 --> 00:22:59,347 Libya, where we joined an international coalition 327 00:22:59,344 --> 00:23:02,344 under a U.N. mandate to prevent a slaughter. 328 00:23:04,416 --> 00:23:07,216 Even as we helped the Libyan people bring an end to the 329 00:23:07,219 --> 00:23:11,189 reign of a tyrant, our coalition could have and 330 00:23:11,189 --> 00:23:14,089 should have done more to fill a vacuum left behind. 331 00:23:17,362 --> 00:23:21,002 We're grateful to the United Nations for its efforts to 332 00:23:20,999 --> 00:23:23,399 forge a unity government. 333 00:23:23,401 --> 00:23:26,771 We will help any legitimate Libyan government as it 334 00:23:26,772 --> 00:23:29,712 works to bring the country together. 335 00:23:29,708 --> 00:23:32,508 But we also have to recognize that we must work 336 00:23:32,511 --> 00:23:35,081 more effectively in the future, as an international 337 00:23:35,080 --> 00:23:40,850 community, to build capacity for states that are in 338 00:23:40,852 --> 00:23:45,522 distress, before they collapse. 339 00:23:45,524 --> 00:23:48,494 And that's why we should celebrate the fact that 340 00:23:48,493 --> 00:23:51,293 later today the United States will join with more 341 00:23:51,296 --> 00:23:55,566 than 50 countries to enlist new capabilities -- 342 00:23:55,567 --> 00:23:59,867 infantry, intelligence, helicopters, hospitals, and 343 00:23:59,871 --> 00:24:03,641 tens of thousands of troops -- to strengthen United 344 00:24:03,642 --> 00:24:04,642 Nations peacekeeping. 345 00:24:04,643 --> 00:24:06,843 (applause) 346 00:24:12,684 --> 00:24:16,184 These new capabilities can prevent mass killing, and 347 00:24:16,188 --> 00:24:19,858 ensure that peace agreements are more than words on paper. 348 00:24:22,727 --> 00:24:25,267 But we have to do it together. 349 00:24:25,263 --> 00:24:29,673 Together, we must strengthen our collective capacity to 350 00:24:29,668 --> 00:24:33,008 establish security where order has broken down, and 351 00:24:33,004 --> 00:24:36,174 to support those who seek a just and lasting peace. 352 00:24:41,112 --> 00:24:43,952 Nowhere is our commitment to international order more 353 00:24:43,949 --> 00:24:45,949 tested than in Syria. 354 00:24:51,523 --> 00:24:54,923 When a dictator slaughters tens of thousands of his own 355 00:24:54,926 --> 00:24:58,926 people, that is not just a matter of one nation's 356 00:24:58,930 --> 00:25:03,570 internal affairs -- it breeds human suffering on an 357 00:25:03,568 --> 00:25:05,568 order of magnitude that affects us all. 358 00:25:08,974 --> 00:25:12,244 Likewise, when a terrorist group beheads captives, 359 00:25:12,244 --> 00:25:15,884 slaughters the innocent and enslaves women, that's not a 360 00:25:15,881 --> 00:25:18,581 single nation's national security problem -- that is 361 00:25:18,583 --> 00:25:20,583 an assault on all humanity. 362 00:25:25,323 --> 00:25:27,993 I've said before and I will repeat: There is no room for 363 00:25:27,993 --> 00:25:32,033 accommodating an apocalyptic cult like ISIL, and the 364 00:25:32,030 --> 00:25:34,170 United States makes no apologies for using our 365 00:25:34,165 --> 00:25:38,975 military, as part of a broad coalition, to go after them. 366 00:25:38,970 --> 00:25:41,140 We do so with a determination to ensure that 367 00:25:41,139 --> 00:25:44,639 there will never be a safe haven for terrorists who 368 00:25:44,643 --> 00:25:47,313 carry out these crimes. 369 00:25:47,312 --> 00:25:49,652 And we have demonstrated over more than a decade of 370 00:25:49,648 --> 00:25:53,688 relentless pursuit of al Qaeda, we will not be 371 00:25:53,685 --> 00:25:55,685 outlasted by extremists. 372 00:25:57,789 --> 00:26:00,159 But while military power is necessary, it is not 373 00:26:00,158 --> 00:26:02,528 sufficient to resolve the situation in Syria. 374 00:26:05,363 --> 00:26:09,433 Lasting stability can only take hold when the people of 375 00:26:09,434 --> 00:26:12,104 Syria forge an agreement to live together peacefully. 376 00:26:12,103 --> 00:26:17,013 The United States is prepared to work with any 377 00:26:17,008 --> 00:26:20,878 nation, including Russia and Iran, to resolve 378 00:26:20,879 --> 00:26:22,879 the conflict. 379 00:26:24,849 --> 00:26:27,719 But we must recognize that there cannot be, after so 380 00:26:27,719 --> 00:26:32,559 much bloodshed, so much carnage, a return to the 381 00:26:32,557 --> 00:26:34,557 pre-war status quo. 382 00:26:37,562 --> 00:26:39,562 Let's remember how this started. 383 00:26:41,866 --> 00:26:48,936 Assad reacted to peaceful protests by escalating 384 00:26:48,940 --> 00:26:55,380 repression and killing that, in turn, created the 385 00:26:55,380 --> 00:26:59,750 environment for the current strife. 386 00:26:59,751 --> 00:27:02,851 And so Assad and his allies cannot simply pacify the 387 00:27:02,854 --> 00:27:04,854 broad majority of a population who have been 388 00:27:04,856 --> 00:27:07,596 brutalized by chemical weapons and 389 00:27:07,592 --> 00:27:09,592 indiscriminate bombing. 390 00:27:12,163 --> 00:27:15,433 Yes, realism dictates that compromise will be required 391 00:27:15,433 --> 00:27:17,573 to end the fighting and ultimately stamp out ISIL. 392 00:27:19,571 --> 00:27:23,941 But realism also requires a managed transition away from 393 00:27:23,942 --> 00:27:27,942 Assad and to a new leader, and an inclusive government 394 00:27:27,946 --> 00:27:30,516 that recognizes there must be an end to this chaos so 395 00:27:30,515 --> 00:27:33,285 that the Syrian people can begin to rebuild. 396 00:27:39,357 --> 00:27:41,897 We know that ISIL -- which emerged out of the chaos of 397 00:27:41,893 --> 00:27:46,063 Iraq and Syria -- depends on perpetual war to survive. 398 00:27:46,064 --> 00:27:50,564 But we also know that they gain adherents because of a 399 00:27:50,568 --> 00:27:53,008 poisonous ideology. 400 00:27:53,004 --> 00:27:57,244 So part of our job, together, is to work to 401 00:27:57,242 --> 00:28:01,042 reject such extremism that infects too many of our 402 00:28:01,046 --> 00:28:03,486 young people. 403 00:28:03,481 --> 00:28:06,051 Part of that effort must be a continued rejection by 404 00:28:06,051 --> 00:28:10,091 Muslims of those who distort Islam to preach intolerance 405 00:28:10,088 --> 00:28:14,388 and promote violence, and it must also a rejection by 406 00:28:14,392 --> 00:28:17,532 non-Muslims of the ignorance that equates Islam with terror. 407 00:28:17,529 --> 00:28:20,399 (applause) 408 00:28:27,839 --> 00:28:29,509 This work will take time. 409 00:28:29,507 --> 00:28:33,647 There are no easy answers to Syria. 410 00:28:33,645 --> 00:28:36,385 And there are no simple answers to the changes that 411 00:28:36,381 --> 00:28:38,681 are taking place in much of the Middle East and 412 00:28:38,683 --> 00:28:40,683 North Africa. 413 00:28:42,954 --> 00:28:49,494 But so many families need help right now; they don't 414 00:28:49,494 --> 00:28:50,494 have time. 415 00:28:50,495 --> 00:28:53,535 And that's why the United States is increasing the 416 00:28:53,531 --> 00:28:58,541 number of refugees who we welcome within our borders. 417 00:28:58,536 --> 00:29:00,676 That's why we will continue to be the largest donor of 418 00:29:00,672 --> 00:29:03,472 assistance to support those refugees. 419 00:29:03,475 --> 00:29:05,815 And today we are launching new efforts to ensure that 420 00:29:05,810 --> 00:29:08,510 our people and our businesses, our universities 421 00:29:08,513 --> 00:29:12,283 and our NGOs can help as well -- because in the faces 422 00:29:12,283 --> 00:29:17,023 of suffering families, our nation of immigrants 423 00:29:17,021 --> 00:29:19,021 sees ourselves. 424 00:29:20,625 --> 00:29:22,765 Of course, in the old ways of thinking, the plight of 425 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:25,460 the powerless, the plight of refugees, the plight of the 426 00:29:25,463 --> 00:29:28,333 marginalized did not matter. 427 00:29:28,333 --> 00:29:30,973 They were on the periphery of the world's concerns. 428 00:29:34,506 --> 00:29:37,776 Today, our concern for them is driven not just by 429 00:29:37,775 --> 00:29:42,945 conscience, but should also be drive by self-interest. 430 00:29:42,947 --> 00:29:45,287 For helping people who have been pushed to the margins 431 00:29:45,283 --> 00:29:49,123 of our world is not mere charity, it is a matter of 432 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:50,120 collective security. 433 00:29:50,121 --> 00:29:54,191 And the purpose of this institution is not merely to 434 00:29:54,192 --> 00:29:56,732 avoid conflict, it is to galvanize the collective 435 00:29:56,728 --> 00:29:58,868 action that makes life better on this planet. 436 00:30:02,100 --> 00:30:04,100 The commitments we've made to the Sustainable 437 00:30:04,102 --> 00:30:06,102 Development Goals speak to this truth. 438 00:30:08,239 --> 00:30:10,239 I believe that capitalism has been the greatest 439 00:30:10,241 --> 00:30:12,981 creator of wealth and opportunity that the world 440 00:30:12,977 --> 00:30:14,977 has ever known. 441 00:30:16,381 --> 00:30:19,221 But from big cities to rural villages around the world, 442 00:30:19,217 --> 00:30:22,957 we also know that prosperity is still cruelly out of 443 00:30:22,954 --> 00:30:24,954 reach for too many. 444 00:30:27,392 --> 00:30:31,832 As His Holiness Pope Francis reminds us, we are stronger 445 00:30:31,829 --> 00:30:37,499 when we value the least among these, and see them as 446 00:30:37,502 --> 00:30:42,672 equal in dignity to ourselves and our sons and 447 00:30:42,674 --> 00:30:44,674 our daughters. 448 00:30:46,277 --> 00:30:48,917 We can roll back preventable disease and end the scourge 449 00:30:48,913 --> 00:30:51,053 of HIV/AIDS. 450 00:30:51,049 --> 00:30:55,549 We can stamp out pandemics that recognize no borders. 451 00:30:55,553 --> 00:30:58,523 That work may not be on television right now, but as 452 00:30:58,523 --> 00:31:01,663 we demonstrated in reversing the spread of Ebola, it can 453 00:31:01,659 --> 00:31:03,659 save more lives than anything else we can do. 454 00:31:06,397 --> 00:31:09,167 Together, we can eradicate extreme poverty and erase 455 00:31:09,167 --> 00:31:11,467 barriers to opportunity. 456 00:31:11,469 --> 00:31:13,469 But this requires a sustained commitment to our 457 00:31:13,471 --> 00:31:17,441 people -- so farmers can feed more people; so 458 00:31:17,442 --> 00:31:19,442 entrepreneurs can start a business without paying a 459 00:31:19,444 --> 00:31:21,944 bribe; so young people have the skills they need to 460 00:31:21,946 --> 00:31:25,116 succeed in this modern, knowledge-based economy. 461 00:31:28,052 --> 00:31:30,422 We can promote growth through trade that meets a 462 00:31:30,421 --> 00:31:31,421 higher standard. 463 00:31:31,422 --> 00:31:33,722 And that's what we're doing through the Trans-Pacific 464 00:31:33,725 --> 00:31:36,525 Partnership -- a trade agreement that encompasses 465 00:31:36,527 --> 00:31:40,227 nearly 40 percent of the global economy; an agreement 466 00:31:40,231 --> 00:31:42,471 that will open markets, while protecting the rights 467 00:31:42,467 --> 00:31:46,107 of workers and protecting the environment that enables 468 00:31:46,104 --> 00:31:48,104 development to be sustained. 469 00:31:50,308 --> 00:31:52,808 We can roll back the pollution that we put in our 470 00:31:52,810 --> 00:31:57,080 skies, and help economies lift people out of poverty 471 00:31:57,081 --> 00:31:59,621 without condemning our children to the ravages of 472 00:31:59,617 --> 00:32:01,617 an ever-warming climate. 473 00:32:03,354 --> 00:32:06,924 The same ingenuity that produced the Industrial Age 474 00:32:06,924 --> 00:32:10,124 and the Computer Age allows us to harness the potential 475 00:32:10,128 --> 00:32:12,128 of clean energy. 476 00:32:13,164 --> 00:32:15,634 No country can escape the ravages of climate change. 477 00:32:15,633 --> 00:32:18,603 And there is no stronger sign of leadership than 478 00:32:18,603 --> 00:32:20,673 putting future generations first. 479 00:32:20,672 --> 00:32:24,842 The United States will work with every nation that is 480 00:32:24,842 --> 00:32:27,912 willing to do its part so that we can come together in 481 00:32:27,912 --> 00:32:30,382 Paris to decisively confront this challenge. 482 00:32:36,087 --> 00:32:41,097 And finally, our vision for the future of this Assembly, 483 00:32:43,361 --> 00:32:51,171 my belief in moving forward rather than backwards, 484 00:32:51,169 --> 00:32:54,209 requires us to defend the democratic principles that 485 00:32:54,205 --> 00:32:56,205 allow societies to succeed. 486 00:33:00,011 --> 00:33:03,711 Let me start from a simple premise: Catastrophes, like 487 00:33:03,715 --> 00:33:06,255 what we are seeing in Syria, do not take place in 488 00:33:06,250 --> 00:33:08,920 countries where there is genuine democracy and 489 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:11,720 respect for the universal values this institution is 490 00:33:11,723 --> 00:33:12,453 supposed to defend. 491 00:33:12,457 --> 00:33:15,157 (applause) 492 00:33:22,166 --> 00:33:24,366 I recognize that democracy is going to take different 493 00:33:24,369 --> 00:33:27,809 forms in different parts of the world. 494 00:33:27,805 --> 00:33:31,145 The very idea of a people governing themselves depends 495 00:33:31,142 --> 00:33:35,212 upon government giving expression to their unique 496 00:33:35,213 --> 00:33:37,683 culture, their unique history, their 497 00:33:37,682 --> 00:33:40,552 unique experiences. 498 00:33:40,551 --> 00:33:42,751 But some universal truths are self-evident. 499 00:33:45,757 --> 00:33:48,597 No person wants to be imprisoned for peaceful worship. 500 00:33:51,028 --> 00:33:55,668 No woman should ever be abused with impunity, or a 501 00:33:55,666 --> 00:33:57,666 girl barred from going to school. 502 00:34:00,171 --> 00:34:02,771 The freedom to peacefully petition those in power 503 00:34:02,774 --> 00:34:06,074 without fear of arbitrary laws -- these are not ideas 504 00:34:06,077 --> 00:34:08,077 of one country or one culture. 505 00:34:10,448 --> 00:34:12,688 They are fundamental to human progress. 506 00:34:14,786 --> 00:34:17,926 They are a cornerstone of this institution. 507 00:34:21,759 --> 00:34:23,759 I realize that in many parts of the world there is a 508 00:34:23,761 --> 00:34:27,331 different view -- a belief that strong leadership must 509 00:34:27,331 --> 00:34:29,331 tolerate no dissent. 510 00:34:31,068 --> 00:34:33,508 I hear it not only from America's adversaries, but 511 00:34:33,504 --> 00:34:35,504 privately at least I also hear it from some of 512 00:34:35,506 --> 00:34:37,506 our friends. 513 00:34:38,943 --> 00:34:40,943 I disagree. 514 00:34:42,146 --> 00:34:44,886 I believe a government that suppresses peaceful dissent 515 00:34:44,882 --> 00:34:47,852 is not showing strength; it is showing weakness and it 516 00:34:47,852 --> 00:34:48,352 is showing fear. 517 00:34:48,352 --> 00:34:51,592 (applause) 518 00:34:51,989 --> 00:35:01,229 History shows that regimes who fear their own people 519 00:35:01,232 --> 00:35:06,542 will eventually crumble, but strong institutions built on 520 00:35:09,607 --> 00:35:15,047 the consent of the governed endure long after any one 521 00:35:15,046 --> 00:35:17,046 individual is gone. 522 00:35:18,216 --> 00:35:21,656 That's why our strongest leaders -- from George 523 00:35:21,652 --> 00:35:26,662 Washington to Nelson Mandela -- have elevated the 524 00:35:26,657 --> 00:35:28,797 importance of building strong, democratic 525 00:35:28,793 --> 00:35:32,963 institutions over a thirst for perpetual power. 526 00:35:35,833 --> 00:35:37,833 Leaders who amend constitutions to stay in 527 00:35:37,835 --> 00:35:40,675 office only acknowledge that they failed to build a 528 00:35:40,671 --> 00:35:45,011 successful country for their people -- because none of us 529 00:35:45,009 --> 00:35:47,009 last forever. 530 00:35:48,112 --> 00:35:52,522 It tells us that power is something they cling to for 531 00:35:52,517 --> 00:35:56,587 its own sake, rather than for the betterment of those 532 00:35:56,587 --> 00:35:58,587 they purport to serve. 533 00:36:00,758 --> 00:36:02,798 I understand democracy is frustrating. 534 00:36:04,962 --> 00:36:07,402 Democracy in the United States is certainly imperfect. 535 00:36:09,734 --> 00:36:11,734 At times, it can even be dysfunctional. 536 00:36:14,171 --> 00:36:16,871 But democracy -- the constant struggle to extend 537 00:36:16,874 --> 00:36:19,344 rights to more of our people, to give more people 538 00:36:19,343 --> 00:36:22,413 a voice -- is what allowed us to become the most 539 00:36:22,413 --> 00:36:23,713 powerful nation in the world. 540 00:36:23,714 --> 00:36:29,754 (applause) 541 00:36:29,754 --> 00:36:32,554 It's not simply a matter of principle; it's not 542 00:36:32,557 --> 00:36:33,557 an abstraction. 543 00:36:33,558 --> 00:36:35,998 Democracy -- inclusive democracy -- makes 544 00:36:35,993 --> 00:36:37,993 countries stronger. 545 00:36:39,597 --> 00:36:41,897 When opposition parties can seek power peacefully 546 00:36:41,899 --> 00:36:45,569 through the ballot, a country draws upon new ideas. 547 00:36:48,372 --> 00:36:50,842 When a free media can inform the public, corruption and 548 00:36:50,841 --> 00:36:54,811 abuse are exposed and can be rooted out. 549 00:36:56,814 --> 00:36:59,684 When civil society thrives, communities can solve 550 00:36:59,684 --> 00:37:03,624 problems that governments cannot necessarily solve alone. 551 00:37:06,624 --> 00:37:08,794 When immigrants are welcomed, countries are more 552 00:37:08,793 --> 00:37:10,693 productive and more vibrant. 553 00:37:10,695 --> 00:37:13,565 When girls can go to school, and get a job, and pursue 554 00:37:13,564 --> 00:37:15,904 unlimited opportunity, that's when a country 555 00:37:15,900 --> 00:37:16,970 realizes its full potential. 556 00:37:16,968 --> 00:37:19,038 (applause) 557 00:37:28,112 --> 00:37:32,282 That is what I believe is America's greatest strength. 558 00:37:32,283 --> 00:37:35,383 Not everybody in America agrees with me. 559 00:37:35,386 --> 00:37:37,386 That's part of democracy. 560 00:37:39,323 --> 00:37:41,893 I believe that the fact that you can walk the streets of 561 00:37:41,892 --> 00:37:45,492 this city right now and pass churches and synagogues and 562 00:37:45,496 --> 00:37:49,866 temples and mosques, where people worship freely; the 563 00:37:49,867 --> 00:37:51,967 fact that our nation of immigrants mirrors the 564 00:37:51,969 --> 00:37:54,339 diversity of the world -- you can find everybody from 565 00:37:54,338 --> 00:37:55,338 everywhere here in New York City - 566 00:37:55,339 --> 00:37:57,179 (applause) 567 00:37:57,174 --> 00:38:00,214 -- the fact that, in this country, everybody can 568 00:38:00,211 --> 00:38:04,751 contribute, everybody can participate no matter who 569 00:38:04,749 --> 00:38:10,289 they are, or what they look like, or who they love -- 570 00:38:10,287 --> 00:38:13,457 that's what makes us strong. 571 00:38:13,457 --> 00:38:15,757 And I believe that what is true for America is true for 572 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:18,000 virtually all mature democracies. 573 00:38:17,995 --> 00:38:19,995 And that is no accident. 574 00:38:22,033 --> 00:38:24,333 We can be proud of our nations without defining 575 00:38:24,335 --> 00:38:27,775 ourselves in opposition to some other group. 576 00:38:30,307 --> 00:38:33,247 We can be patriotic without demonizing someone else. 577 00:38:33,244 --> 00:38:36,184 We can cherish our own identities -- our religion, 578 00:38:36,180 --> 00:38:39,650 our ethnicity, our traditions -- without 579 00:38:39,650 --> 00:38:41,650 putting others down. 580 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:46,820 Our systems are premised on the notion that absolute 581 00:38:46,824 --> 00:38:54,034 power will corrupt, but that people -- ordinary people -- 582 00:38:54,031 --> 00:38:57,701 are fundamentally good; that they value family and 583 00:38:57,702 --> 00:39:02,912 friendship, faith and the dignity of hard work; and 584 00:39:02,907 --> 00:39:05,807 that with appropriate checks and balances, governments 585 00:39:05,810 --> 00:39:08,810 can reflect this goodness. 586 00:39:12,550 --> 00:39:16,190 I believe that's the future we must seek together. 587 00:39:16,187 --> 00:39:19,787 To believe in the dignity of every individual, to believe 588 00:39:19,790 --> 00:39:22,360 we can bridge our differences, and choose 589 00:39:22,359 --> 00:39:26,469 cooperation over conflict -- that is not weakness, that 590 00:39:26,464 --> 00:39:27,434 is strength. 591 00:39:27,431 --> 00:39:34,201 (applause) 592 00:39:34,205 --> 00:39:37,675 It is a practical necessity in this interconnected world. 593 00:39:37,675 --> 00:39:41,345 And our people understand this. 594 00:39:43,514 --> 00:39:45,684 Think of the Liberian doctor who went door-to-door to 595 00:39:45,683 --> 00:39:49,653 search for Ebola cases, and to tell families what to do 596 00:39:49,653 --> 00:39:51,653 if they show symptoms. 597 00:39:53,457 --> 00:39:55,457 Think of the Iranian shopkeeper who said, after 598 00:39:55,459 --> 00:39:58,599 the nuclear deal, "God willing, now we'll be able 599 00:39:58,596 --> 00:40:00,596 to offer many more goods at better prices." 600 00:40:03,634 --> 00:40:06,604 Think of the Americans who lowered the flag over our 601 00:40:06,604 --> 00:40:10,504 embassy in Havana in 1961 -- the year I was born -- and 602 00:40:10,508 --> 00:40:14,348 returned this summer to raise that flag back up. 603 00:40:14,345 --> 00:40:20,915 (applause) 604 00:40:20,918 --> 00:40:24,018 One of these men said of the Cuban people, "We could do 605 00:40:24,021 --> 00:40:26,021 things for them, and they could do things for us. 606 00:40:26,023 --> 00:40:27,993 We loved them." 607 00:40:30,961 --> 00:40:36,201 For 50 years, we ignored that fact. 608 00:40:38,602 --> 00:40:41,372 Think of the families leaving everything they've 609 00:40:41,372 --> 00:40:47,412 known behind, risking barren deserts and stormy waters 610 00:40:47,411 --> 00:40:51,511 just to find shelter; just to save their children. 611 00:40:53,551 --> 00:40:56,691 One Syrian refugee who was greeted in Hamburg with warm 612 00:40:56,687 --> 00:41:01,627 greetings and shelter, said, "We feel there are still 613 00:41:01,625 --> 00:41:04,065 some people who love other people." 614 00:41:04,061 --> 00:41:10,071 The people of our United Nations are not as different 615 00:41:13,571 --> 00:41:15,571 as they are told. 616 00:41:18,509 --> 00:41:24,179 They can be made to fear; they can be taught to hate 617 00:41:26,317 --> 00:41:28,317 -- but they can also respond to hope. 618 00:41:32,056 --> 00:41:35,526 History is littered with the failure of false prophets 619 00:41:35,526 --> 00:41:39,896 and fallen empires who believed that might always 620 00:41:39,897 --> 00:41:43,197 makes right, and that will continue to be the case. 621 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:45,200 You can count on that. 622 00:41:47,137 --> 00:41:49,577 But we are called upon to offer a different type of 623 00:41:49,573 --> 00:41:54,213 leadership -- leadership strong enough to recognize 624 00:41:54,211 --> 00:41:57,551 that nations share common interests and people share a 625 00:41:57,548 --> 00:42:03,318 common humanity, and, yes, there are certain ideas and 626 00:42:03,320 --> 00:42:05,320 principles that are universal. 627 00:42:07,524 --> 00:42:10,524 That's what those who shaped the United Nations 70 years 628 00:42:10,527 --> 00:42:11,527 ago understood. 629 00:42:11,528 --> 00:42:16,368 Let us carry forward that faith into the future -- for 630 00:42:16,367 --> 00:42:18,807 it is the only way we can assure that future will be 631 00:42:18,802 --> 00:42:22,472 brighter for my children, and for yours. 632 00:42:22,473 --> 00:42:24,973 Thank you very much. 633 00:42:24,975 --> 00:42:27,115 (applause)