Bush Addresses Terrorism at UN

By Pamela Mortimer

Bush accused Iran of participating in terrorist activity while Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sat in the audience. Other notable leaders in attendance at the meeting were Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Israeli President Shimon Peres, and French President Nikolas Sarkozy.

"Syria and Iran continue to sponsor terror, yet their numbers are growing fewer. They are becoming more isolated in the world," he said.

The president claims that while a lot has been accomplished in the war against terrorism, there is much more to be done particularly on the side of the U.N.

"Like slavery and piracy, terrorism has no place in the modern world," he said. Bush also added that the U.N. must impose sanctions against North Korea and Iran.

Ahmadinejad is scheduled to address U.N. delegates Tuesday afternoon.

Bush has just returned from a meeting with the new president of Pakistan who is trying to regroup after a weekend attack in Islamabad killed 53 people. During the meeting between Bush and leader Asif Ali Zadarhi, the president relayed condolences regarding the slain victims of the attack.

Zardari is the husband of late Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was killed last year during her campaign against then president Pervez Musharraf. Zadari carried on the campaign after his wife’s death and won.

Pakistan’s recent troubles revolve around the 90,000 people who recently escaped attacks and are currently in exile in the North West Frontier Province against the Afghan border. It is estimated that a similar number of refugees have fled to the northern part of the province. The U.N. refugee agency has requested $17 million to aid nearly 300,000 refugees.

"Democracy is the answer. We will solve all the problems. We have a situation. We have issues. We've got problems. But we will solve them and we will rise to the occasion. That's what my wife's legacy is all about," Zadari said.

Bush refers to Pakistan is an ally. The meetings between the two leaders will focus on establishing a democratic society and increasing the country’s economic prosperity.

"We want our friends around the world to be making a good living. We want there to be economic prosperity and we can work together, and of course we'll be talking about security. And your words have been very strong about Pakistan's sovereign right and sovereign duty to protect your country, and the United States wants to help," Bush said.