Dubya’s speech today was right on, as it needed to be. After hearing Kofi Annan wax lyrical about all the rocks that have been “pushed to the top of the mountain” ( “though some have rolled back down”) while he’s been Secretary-General, President Bush was able to point out some real and enormous things which have happened in the last few years — no thanks to the U.N. .

Some of the changes in the Middle East have been dramatic, and we see the results in this chamber. Five years ago, Afghanistan was ruled by the brutal Taliban regime, and its seat in this body was contested. Now this seat is held by the freely elected government of Afghanistan, which is represented today by President Karzai. Five years ago, Iraq’s seat in this body was held by a dictator who killed his citizens, invaded his neighbors, and showed his contempt for the world by defying more than a dozen U.N. Security Council resolutions. Now Iraq’s seat is held by a democratic government that embodies the aspirations of the Iraq people, who’s represented today by President Talabani. With these changes, more than 50 million people have been given a voice in this chamber for the first time in decades.

He potently summarized the rationale behind the struggle for liberty in the Middle East that the United States chose (generously) as its response to the September 11th, 2001 attacks:

Imagine what it’s like to be a young person living in a country that is not moving toward reform. You’re 21 years old, and while your peers in other parts of the world are casting their ballots for the first time, you are powerless to change the course of your government. While your peers in other parts of the world have received educations that prepare them for the opportunities of a global economy, you have been fed propaganda and conspiracy theories that blame others for your country’s shortcomings. And everywhere you turn, you hear extremists who tell you that you can escape your misery and regain your dignity through violence and terror and martyrdom. For many across the broader Middle East, this is the dismal choice presented every day.

He addressed the people of Iran and Syria directly, while their respective regimes’ lackeys sat and stewed — telling them all that they can have a better future as free citizens of democratic nations, and that the United States, at least, is not operating under the delusion that their current leaders actually represent them.

He posed the right question to the motley gathering in front of him:

From Beirut to Baghdad, people are making the choice for freedom. And the nations gathered in this chamber must make a choice, as well: Will we support the moderates and reformers who are working for change across the Middle East — or will we yield the future to the terrorists and extremists?

You have to hand it to President Bush for continuing to give the U.N. a chance. Now we get to sit back and watch this collection of liars and cowards do nothing (or worse) yet again.

…

Kofi Annan’s reference to his upcoming departure puts me in mind of the question: Who should succeed him as Secretary-General? My vote is for Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. We should quit the pretense and just have a Secretary-General who is not shy about saying what he means. If Nasrallah is too busy hiding in a sewer somewhere, then my second choice is Hugo Chavez. Let’s just get it on.

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