This week is turning out to be rather exciting in terms of UN news, unsurprising given the number of international leaders currently in attendance. The past few days we've had news regarding climate change from China and the US in particular at the Secretary-General's summit, we've seen inflammatory speeches from the likes of Ahmadinejad and Gaddafi, to more defensive ones from Brown and Sarkozy, and this morning Obama chaired a historic Security Council meeting which voted unanimously for nuclear disarmament. I must say, September is always one of my favorite times of the year for the UN.
However, much of this is just passing fancy. There are already articles lowering expectations for the climate change conference in Copenhagen in December, disappointed op eds on the performance of Obama, and an interesting piece in the NY Times about Gadaffi's tent. Still, this is a big moment for Obama in proving himself on the international stage and injecting new leadership into the UN. Contrary to his predecessor he is proving willing to work within the system and is certainly providing more hope that change might be possible on issues like climate change or nuclear disarmament. In recent weeks he has also warmed relations with Russia and tried to improve relations between Israel and Palestine, but has also faced serious questions on the future of the mission in Afghanistan. There is no doubt that Obama is stretched thin on his foreign policy front. Indeed, with the G20 summit coming up, he is unlikely to take a break from the world stage any time soon.
Obama At the UN: Think of Me as FDR, not Bush - The Nation
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