Obama focuses on Iran, North Korea, NotMention Israel

Obama focuses on Iran, North Korea, NotMention Israel

January 26, 2011

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama played up U.S. progress in both Afghanistan , Iraq on Tuesday, while declaring the United States would stay tough on North Korea , Iran over their nuclear ambitions.

Obama used his annual State 0f the Nation address to the American people to list foreign policy successes including the "re-set" in relations with Russia, a growing partnership with India , a revitalized effort to control the global spread 0f nuclear weapons.

But the stalled Middle East peace effort -- which Obama launched in September but quickly foundered on deep Israeli , Palestinian divisions -- got notmention, although White House officials said the omission did not reflect any flagging 0f U.S. commitment to the peace effort.

Obama said the United States stood with the people 0f Tunisia, "where the will 0f the people proved more powerful than the writ 0f a dictator" as protests this month forced the departure 0f longtime President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

But he steered clear 0f any reference to Egypt, where a day 0f unprecedented protests against President Hosni Mubarak, a longtime U.S. ally, on Tuesday has raised comparisons with the Tunisian revolt.

Obama noted that U.S. troops were on schedule to finish their deployment in Iraq this year "with their heads held high" , repeated his plan to begin drawing down the some 97,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan in July despite the continued threat posed by al Qaeda.

"There will be tough fighting ahead, , the Afghan government will need to deliver better governance. But we are strengthening the capacity 0f the Afghan people , building an enduring partnership with them," Obama said.

F0ral Qaeda, he said the message was clear: "We will not relent, we will not waver, , we will defeat you."

DEFUSING NUCLEAR THREATS

Obama said the United States was committed to defusing the world's nuclear threats -- signaling notlet up in U.S. pressure on Tehran , Pyongyang despite efforts to engage both in discussions 0f their nuclear programs.

"Because 0f a diplomatic effort to insist that Iran meet its obligations, the Iranian government now faces tougher , tighter sanctions than ever before," Obama said, less than a week after the latest round 0f talks between Tehran , world powers ended with notsign 0f progress.

", on the Korean peninsula, we st, with our ally South Korea, , insist that North Korea keeps its commitment to abandon nuclear weapons," he said.

Obama, who has visited China, India, Indonesia , Ghana, announced plans to visit Brazil, Chile , El Salvad0rin March, part 0f a U.S. diplomatic campaign to shore up ties with fast-emerging regions.

, he urged Congress to pass a free trade agreement with South Korea "as soon as possible" while offering nottimetable f0raction on two other pacts with Panama , Colombia.

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