2013 State of the Union address: on Foreign Policy


Barack Obama: Support stable transition to democracy in Burma & elsewhere

America must remain a beacon to all who seek freedom during this period of historic change. I saw the power of hope last year in Rangoon--when Aung San Suu Kyi welcomed an American President into the home where she had been imprisoned for years; when thousands of Burmese lined the streets, waving American flags.

In defense of freedom, we will remain the anchor of strong alliances from the Americas to Africa; from Europe to Asia. In the Middle East, we will stand with citizens as they demand their universal rights, and support stable transitions to democracy. The process will be messy, and we cannot presume to dictate the course of change in countries like Egypt; but we can--and will--insist on respect for the fundamental rights of all people. We will keep the pressure on a Syrian regime that has murdered its own people, and support opposition leaders that respect the rights of every Syrian. These are the messages I will deliver when I travel to the Middle East next month.

Source: 2013 State of the Union Address Feb 12, 2013

  • The above quotations are from 2013 State of the Union address to Congress, plus the Republican Response and the Tea Party response: Feb. 12, 2013.
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