Bush at U.N. –
more foreign aid

WASHINGTON – It wasn't just a speech commemorating the 60th anniversary of the United Nations that President Bush delivered in New York yesterday.

Instead, he laid out an ambitious program of increased U.S. foreign aid to tackle worldwide problems of poverty and disease.

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Think of it as Lyndon Johnson's "War on Poverty" plan gone global.

And he characterized this plan as an extension of his war on terrorism.

"Confronting our enemies is essential, and so civilized nations will continue to take the fight to the terrorists," Bush said. "Yet we know that this war will not be won by force of arms alone. We must defeat the terrorists on the battlefield, and we must also defeat them in the battle of ideas. We must change the conditions that allow terrorists to flourish and recruit, by spreading the hope of freedom to millions who've never known it. We must help raise up the failing states and stagnant societies that provide fertile ground for the terrorists. We must defend and extend a vision of human dignity, and opportunity, and prosperity – a vision far stronger than the dark appeal of resentment and murder."

This means working within the U.N.'s goals and plans for cutting poverty and disease, he explained.

"To spread a vision of hope, the United States is determined to help nations that are struggling with poverty," Bush said. "We are committed to the Millennium Development goals. This is an ambitious agenda that includes cutting poverty and hunger in half, ensuring that every boy and girl in the world has access to primary education, and halting the spread of AIDS – all by 2015."

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The increased aid, Bush said, would go to nations that agree "to take responsibility for their own economic progress through good governance and sound policies and the rule of law."

"Developed countries agreed to support those efforts, including increased aid to nations that undertake necessary reforms," he said. "My own country has sought to implement the Monterrey Consensus by establishing the new Millennium Challenge Account. This account is increasing U.S. aid for countries that govern justly, invest in their people, and promote economic freedom."

Bush tied the international relief effort to U.S. activities and financial commitment to treating AIDS in Africa.

"Today, America is working with local authorities and organizations in the largest initiative in history to combat a specific disease," Bush said. "Across Africa, we're helping local health officials expand AIDS testing facilities, train and support doctors and nurses and counselors, and upgrade clinics and hospitals. Working with our African partners, we have now delivered lifesaving treatment to more than 230,000 people in sub-Sahara Africa. We are ahead of schedule to meet an important objective: providing HIV-AIDS treatment for nearly 2 million adults and children in Africa. At the G-8 Summit at Gleneagles, Scotland, we set a clear goal: an AIDS-free generation in Africa."

Bush also mentioned plans to spend another $1.2 billion fighting malaria around the world.

"This preventable disease kills more than a million people around the world every year – and leaves poverty and grief in every land it touches," he said. "The United States has set a goal of cutting the malaria death rate in half in at least 15 highly endemic African countries. To achieve that goal, we've pledged to increase our funding for malaria treatment and prevention by more than $1.2 billion over the next five years. We invite other nations to join us in this effort by committing specific aid to the dozens of other African nations in need of it. Together we can fight malaria and save hundreds of thousands of lives, and bring new hope to countries that have been devastated by this terrible disease."

He also announced a new international effort against avian influenza.

"If left unchallenged, this virus could become the first pandemic of the 21st century," said Bush. "We must not allow that to happen. Today I am announcing a new International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza. The partnership requires countries that face an outbreak to immediately share information and provide samples to the World Health Organization."

Another aspect of the massive redistribution of wealth globally is a plan to cancel 100 percent of the debt for the world's most heavily indebted nations.

"Even with increased aid to fight disease and reform economies, many nations are held back by another heavy challenge: the burden of debt," he said. "So America and many nations have also acted to lift this burden that limits the growth of developing economies, and holds millions of people in poverty. Today, poor countries with the heaviest debt burdens are receiving more than $30 billion in debt relief. And to prevent the build-up of future debt, my country and other nations have agreed that international financial institutions should increasingly provide new aid in the form of grants, rather than loans."

Then he supported the efforts of the U.N. Democracy Fund.

"Every free nation has an interest in the success of this fund – and every free nation has a responsibility in advancing the cause of liberty," said the president.

Read Bush's entire speech before the U.N.