NEW YORK (AP) -
President Barack Obama told world leaders
Tuesday that attacks on U.S. citizens in Libya "were attacks on
America," and he called on them to join in confronting the root causes
of the rage across the Muslim world.
"I do believe that it is
the obligation of all leaders, in all countries, to speak out forcefully
against violence and extremism," Obama said in a speech to the annual
gathering of the United Nations General Assembly.
Obama also condemned the
anti-Muslim video that helped spark the recent attacks, calling it
"cruel and disgusting." But he strongly defended the U.S. Constitution's
protection of the freedom of expression, "even views that we profoundly
disagree with."
With U.S. campaign politics
shadowing every word, Obama also warned that time to peacefully curb
the Iranian nuclear crisis is running out.
He said there is "still time and space" to resolve the issue through diplomacy. But that time is not limited."
"Make no mistake: A
nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained. It would
threaten the elimination of Israel, the security of Gulf nations and the
unraveling of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty," he said.
Republican presidential
nominee Mitt Romney has accused Obama of not being tough enough on Iran
and of turning his back on Israel and other allies in the Middle East.
Romney also has said he doesn't have much faith in peace prospects
between Israelis and Palestinians.
Obama told the U.N.: "Among
Israelis and Palestinians, the future must not belong to those who turn
their backs on the prospect of peace."
Romney in separate remarks
to a global conference sponsored by former President Bill Clinton, said
the attack at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that took the life
of the U.S. ambassador and three other U.S. citizens was an act of
terrorism.
Obama mentioned the slain U.S. ambassador, Christopher Stevens, several times in his address.
"Today, we must declare
that our future will be determined by people like Chris Stevens and not
by his killers. Today, we must declare that this violence and
intolerance has no place among our United nations," he said.
Unlike Romney, Obama has not specifically called the attacks in Libya and other U.S. missions terrorism.
Obama said that "at a time
when anyone with a cellphone can spread offensive views around the world
with the click of a button," the notion that governments can control
the flow of information is obsolete.
"There is no speech that
justifies mindless violence," such as the attack that left the four
Americans dead in Libya, Obama said.
"The strongest weapon
against hateful speech is not repression, it is more speech - the voices
of tolerance that rally against bigotry and blasphemy and lift up the
values of understanding and mutual respect."
