...as well as of respecting Islam, and even of the terror in Darfur. His tone lacks the march-to-war edge of his other recent comments, which is refreshing, even if trivial in terms of actual policy - perhaps an indication of how starved for peace talk I am. From a speech today:
"My country desires peace," Bush told world leaders in the U.N.'s cavernous main hall. "Extremists in your midst spread propaganda claiming that the West is engaged in a war against Islam. This propaganda is false and its purpose is to confuse you and justify acts of terror. We respect Islam."
On the crisis in Sudan's violence-wracked region of Darfur, Bush delivered strong warnings to both the United Nations and the Sudanese government, saying both must act now to avert a further humanitarian crisis. If the Sudanese government does not withdraw its rejection of a U.N. peacekeeping force for Darfur, he said, the world body should act over the government's objections..."If the Sudanese government does not approve this peacekeeping force quickly, the United Nations must act."
With more than 200,000 people killed in three years of fighting in Darfur and the violence threatening to increase again, Bush said the "credibility of the United Nations is at stake." (Full AP coverage here)
