In his final address to the United Nations, President Obama expressed concern that his brand of liberal world order is under growing threat from the authoritarianism of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Without mentioning Mr. Trump by name, Mr. Obama decried “strongmen” on the international stage and the rise of “a crude populism, sometimes from the far left but more often from the far right.”
“Today a nation ringed by walls would only imprison itself,” the president said in a clear reference to Mr. Trump’s proposal to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. “The answer cannot be a simple rejection of global integration. Instead, we must work to ensure that the benefits of global integration are broadly shared.”
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon also criticized Mr. Trump, telling the assembly, “I say to political leaders and candidates: Do not engage in the cynical and dangerous political math that says you add votes by dividing people and multiplying fear.”
Mr. Ban added, “Muslims in particular are being targeted by stereotyping and suspicion that have echoes of the dark past.”
With members of the Russian delegation smirking at parts of his address at the U.N. General Assembly, Mr. Obama bluntly criticized Moscow for its military aggression in Ukraine.
SEE ALSO: Obama slams Putin, Trump’s wall in final U.N. speech
“In a world that left the age of empire behind, we see Russia attempting to recover lost glory through force,” Mr. Obama said.
“History shows that strongmen are left with two paths — permanent crackdown, which sparks strife at home, or scapegoating enemies abroad, which can lead to war.”
The president glossed over the threat of terrorism and made only a passing reference to the instability in Syria and Iraq that allowed the Islamic State to gain strength in his second term. His remarks came one day after police captured a terrorism suspect linked to bombings in New York and New Jersey, and after a short-lived cease-fire in Syria collapsed.
He said the world “is by many measures less violent and more prosperous than ever before,” but acknowledged the need for a “course correction” by world leaders to address inequality, intolerance and broad social unrest.
“Across vast swaths of the Middle East, basic security, basic order has broken down,” Mr. Obama said.
The president said global peace and prosperity are possible only “if powerful nations like my own accept constraints.”
“Sometimes I’m criticized in my own country for professing a belief in international norms and multilateral institutions,” Mr. Obama said. “But I am convinced that, in the long run, giving up some freedom of action, not giving up our ability to protect ourselves or pursue our core interests, but binding ourselves to international rules over the long term enhances our security.”
Turning again to Mr. Putin, the president added, “If Russia continues to interfere in the affairs of its neighbors, it may be popular at home, it may fuel nationalist fervor for a time, but over time it’s also going to diminish its stature and make its borders less secure.”
Mr. Obama recited his perceived foreign policy accomplishments over the past eight years, including negotiating a global agreement on climate change and restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba. But the president mostly dwelled on persistent divisions around the world: in the Middle East, in Europe and on what he called “the excesses of capitalism.”
“Our societies are filled with uncertainty and unease and strife,” Mr. Obama said. “Despite enormous progress, as people lose trust in institutions, governing becomes more difficult and tensions between nations become more quick to surface.”
I believe at this moment we all face a choice. We can choose to press forward with a better model of cooperation and integration, or we can retreat into a world more sharply divided.”
He devoted less time to terrorism, the Islamic State and the long-running civil war in Syria. The president said that while there’s a “military component” to defeating the Islamic State, the long-term solution must include diplomacy to resolve the Syrian conflict.
Known for finding fault with the U.S. when speaking to audiences abroad, Mr. Obama also told the U.N. that he’s “proud” of America.
“I believe America has been a rare superpower in human history insofar as it has been willing to think beyond narrow self-interest,” Mr. Obama told world leaders. “I believe we have been a force for good.”
He listed examples of America’s value to the world, including U.S. deference to international law.
“We have secured allies. We’ve acted to protect the vulnerable,” he said. “We supported human rights and welcomed scrutiny of our own actions. We’ve bound our power to international laws and institutions. When we’ve made mistakes, we’ve tried to acknowledge them. We have worked to roll back poverty and hunger and disease beyond our borders, not just within our borders.”
He added, “I’m proud of that.”
The president has often angered conservatives by pointing out America’s shortcomings while traveling overseas. For example, on a visit to Laos earlier this month, Mr. Obama referred to Americans as “lazy” eight times in a town hall meeting.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.