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BUSH
ADDRESSES UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
UNITED
NATIONS, Nov 11 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – U.S. President George W.
Bush thanked the United Nations Saturday for condolences in the wake of the
deadly September 11 attacks, but declared that "the time for action has now
arrived" in the “war on terrorism”.
"The only alternative to victory is a nightmare world where every city is a
potential killing field," declared Bush, who made his first address to the
U.N. General Assembly.
Bush, in an attempt to rejuvenate fading world-wide support for his war on
Afghanistan, asserted that every country remains at risk of terrorist attacks.
“As
we meet,” Bush told the U.N. session, “the terrorists are planning more
murder. Perhaps in my country…perhaps in yours.”He cautioned that countries
not supporting the war or “turning a blind eye,” were making a mistake by
doing so.
The
President also went on to say that “all the people, including Muslims were
killed with equal indifference” in the September 11 attacks.
Bush
also acknowledged the role Muslims had in helping to rescue victims.
“People
who prayed five times a day toward Mecca were killed trying to help people,”
added Bush, alluding to Muslim rescue workers who were killed in New York while
carrying out their duties.
The
U.S. leader slammed the alleged perpetrators of the September attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon. “They encourage murder and suicide in the
name of a faith [Islam] that forbids both,” Bush said. “A murderer is not a
martyr…he is just a murderer.”
Bush
blamed Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban militia for the current war, as well as
for the suffering of the Afghan people.
“My
country grieves for the suffering the Taliban have brought on the Afghan
people,” said Bush, “including the burden of war.”
Bush
also warned that the Taliban’s days of “brutalizing women” and engaging in
the production of heroin “are over.” He asserted that the Taliban claim to
fight in the name of God but then support the struggle with “drug money.”
However,
previous reports cite that the Taliban have cracked down on and virtually
eradicated opium production, used to make heroin, in Afghanistan. These actions
have reportedly sparked strong condemnation from impoverished Afghan farmers,
who made their living on the production of the drug.
Bush
also addressed the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He said Palestinians and
Israelis need to live securely within “borders determined by U.N. security
resolutions…but only when violence, terror and incitement end.”
U.N.
Security Council resolutions call for the establishment of a viable Palestinian
state and assert that Israel must withdraw to its pre-1967 borders. The
resolutions demand that Israel return all illegally-occupied lands, including
East Jerusalem, halt the construction of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land,
and dismantle existing ones.
However,
Bush stopped short of reiterating his earlier call for the establishment of an
independent Palestinian state.
Robet
Dallek, a presidential historian at Boston University, speculated before the
speech that Bush would most likely not specifically declare support for a
Palestinian state. He argued that Washington’s role in the negotiations has
been incredibly vague and that more behind-the-scenes diplomacy and negotiations
must first take place.
Bush
has also refused to meet with Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, who
is in New York for the U.N. meeting. The move was strongly criticized by Muslim
and Arab countries. who argued that Bush cannot claim to be an “honest broker
of peace” if he meets with only one side. Bush has met with hard-line Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon several times since taking office in January.
U.N.
Secretary General Kofi Annan said that while there is strong temptation to focus
solely on the September 11 attacks and the current military situation
Afghanistan, the General Assembly must remain focused on the root problems that
may lead to more bloodshed.
With
additional reporting by Neveen A.Salem, IOL Washington D.C.
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