US President George W. Bush announced new sanctions yesterday against Myanmar in an address to the UN General Assembly, saying that Americans are outraged by the situation there.
Bush also urged other nations to support the struggle for democracy in Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon.
"The people of Lebanon and Afghanistan and Iraq have asked for our help, and every civilized nation has a responsibility to stand with them," Bush said.
While the United States is at war in Iraq, Bush made scant mention of the conflict. Similarly, he barely mentioned Iran, a nation the United States accuses of "sponsor of terror", pursuit of a nuclear weapon and assistance for insurgents who are killing US troops in Iraq, which Iran denies.
The president has had to concentrate on the plodding war in Iraq, abandoning an effort in his second term to promote the spread of democracy. His handling of that conflict has made him increasingly unpopular at home and abroad as he heads into his final 15 months in office.
In his speech, Bush focused his remarks away from Iraq and Iran, challenging the UN to uphold its pledge to fight for freedom in lands of poverty and terror. "The nations in this chamber have our differences, yet there are some areas where we can all agree," Bush said.
"When innocent people are trapped in a life of murder and fear, the declaration is not being upheld. When millions of children starve to death or perish from a mosquito bite, we're not doing our duty in the world. When whole societies are cut off from the prosperity of the global economy, we're all worse off.
"Changing these underlying conditions is what the declaration calls the work of larger freedom and it must be the work of every nation in this assembly," he said.
Bush urged the UN to reform its Human Rights Council, created to replace the discredited Human Rights Commission. But Bush criticized the new body for ignoring abuses in places like Iran "while focusing its criticism excessively on Israel".
Bush singled out Myanmar for particular attention.
Bush said the United States would tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers and impose an expanded visa ban on people responsible for human rights violations, as well as their family members.
Bush also urged other nations to support the struggle for democracy in Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon.
"The people of Lebanon and Afghanistan and Iraq have asked for our help, and every civilized nation has a responsibility to stand with them," Bush said.
While the United States is at war in Iraq, Bush made scant mention of the conflict. Similarly, he barely mentioned Iran, a nation the United States accuses of "sponsor of terror", pursuit of a nuclear weapon and assistance for insurgents who are killing US troops in Iraq, which Iran denies.
The president has had to concentrate on the plodding war in Iraq, abandoning an effort in his second term to promote the spread of democracy. His handling of that conflict has made him increasingly unpopular at home and abroad as he heads into his final 15 months in office.
In his speech, Bush focused his remarks away from Iraq and Iran, challenging the UN to uphold its pledge to fight for freedom in lands of poverty and terror. "The nations in this chamber have our differences, yet there are some areas where we can all agree," Bush said.
"When innocent people are trapped in a life of murder and fear, the declaration is not being upheld. When millions of children starve to death or perish from a mosquito bite, we're not doing our duty in the world. When whole societies are cut off from the prosperity of the global economy, we're all worse off.
"Changing these underlying conditions is what the declaration calls the work of larger freedom and it must be the work of every nation in this assembly," he said.
Bush urged the UN to reform its Human Rights Council, created to replace the discredited Human Rights Commission. But Bush criticized the new body for ignoring abuses in places like Iran "while focusing its criticism excessively on Israel".
Bush singled out Myanmar for particular attention.
Bush said the United States would tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers and impose an expanded visa ban on people responsible for human rights violations, as well as their family members.
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