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Bush Urges UN to Act on Iran and in Darfur

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President Bush wants UN sanctions against Iran and UN peacekeepers in Darfur, whether the government of Sudan likes it or not. How hard will he push in his speech to the General Assembly?  Will the Security Council agree to penalties against member nations?

Making News

Was Bush's UN Speech for International or Domestic Audience? ()

In today's address to the UN General Assembly, President Bush appealed directly to Muslims around the world to assure them that the US is not waging war on Islam. Regarding the Middle East, the President warned against false propaganda which aims to encourage acts of terror, and insisted that Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon are all fledgling democracies that deserve support.

Guests:
Links:

Main Topic

Diplomacy and Confrontation for Iran ()

The world saw two sides of President Bush today as he talked of both peace and possible confrontation. In his speech to the General Assembly, he reassured Muslims that America is not at war with Islam and that it's looking for peace with Iran. Although President Bush said nothing about economic sanctions--let alone the "military option"--if Iran continues to develop nuclear technology, on the sidelines he affirmed that the consequences of continued nuclear development could include such sanctions. Bush also said he won't meet with President Ahmadinejad, who did not show up in the chamber for the President Bush's speech. What are the prospects for diplomacy?

Guests:
  • Evelyn Leopold: United Nations Bureau Chief, Reuters News Service
  • Nile Gardiner: Director of the Freedom Center at the Heritage Foundation
  • Judith Kipper: Advisor to the Middle East Programs at the Council on Foreign Relations
Links:

Main Topic

Can America Impact the Humanitarian Crisis in Darfur? ()

In his UN speech today, President Bush said the people of Darfur--the province in western Sudan--have suffered "unspeakable violence." UN officials have declared that "no issue needs more urgent attention."  Reminding the General Assembly that the US deems such violence "genocide," the President called on the UN to bolster the African Union forces with peacekeepers of its own, even if the government of Sudan disapproves, and said he's appointed a special American envoy to deal with Darfur. We get the background on the humanitarian crisis and the likelihood of UN peacekeepers being sent to the region.   

Guests:
  • Jan Egeland: UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs
  • Craig Timberg: Johannesburg Bureau Chief for the Washington Post
  • Henri Boshoff: Military Analyst with the Institute for Security Studies
  • Philippe de Pontet: Middle East and Africa Analyst with the Eurasia Group
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