Obama’s speech

Here we go… — Delegates ignoring protocol by applauding during Obama’s speech. — On Iraq Obama vows to "keep our commitment to remove all American troops by the end of 2011." — The president paints a dramatic picture: If we are honest with ourselves, we need to admit that we are not living up to ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.

Here we go...

Here we go…

Delegates ignoring protocol by applauding during Obama’s speech.

On Iraq Obama vows to "keep our commitment to remove all American troops by the end of 2011."

The president paints a dramatic picture:

If we are honest with ourselves, we need to admit that we are not living up to that responsibility. Consider the course that we are on if we fail to confront the status quo. Extremists sowing terror in pockets of the world. Protracted conflicts that grind on and on. Genocide and mass atrocities. More and more nations with nuclear weapons. Melting ice caps and ravaged populations. Persistent poverty and pandemic disease. I say this not to sow fear, but to state a fact: the magnitude of our challenges has yet to be met by the measure of our action.’ 

Classic Obama rhetoric; defines divisions (north vs. south, "old cleavages of the long-gone Cold War) and rejects the division as false.  

In January, Obama says he will "call on nations … to halt production of fissile material for weapons."

Big applause for "America does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements."

Obama cites progress on Palestinian security and Israel facilitiating freedom of movement on the West Bank but insists that negotiations must begin on final-status issues.

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This seems to be going over well: Americans "do no favors" to Israel with unconditional support; other nations do no favors to Palestinians by failing to recognize Israel’s rights.

Climate plan that ignores poorest nations "simply will not work." 

"America has too often been selective in its promotion of democracy."

Full text

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

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