the policy. look. i have this in a rough draft. at all a some at this early in the day. they have plenty of time to do it. i loved it. it is the kickoff speech. president obama said two things. he said i still believe that we are not republicans or democrats. we're all americans. he goes later on to say that make romney sincerely believes that as long as millionaires like camera doing ok then evybody else will do all right. where did he say that? where did he say everyon else would be alright? he did not say that. i want to deal with the impact of these policies. >> this gets down to a

fundamental difference in terms of how people interpret fairness. this is how we view what the president is doing and is fighting for fairness. if he puts it in that context, it does not give him an opening. this is correct for what democrats have to do. it is going to be interesting to say if romney could go back to this various issue.

he tends to fall into ascribing motives. way inhe back. >> good morning. wayne paladino. as he reminded us at the very beginning of a presentation, ideology and platform is important and may make the difference. my question relates to the third party. i do not know if rick santorum is the embodiment of that. ron paul. how do you see that whole dynamic affecting the future of the race?

>> santorum is a non factor. the people that are supporting him are in the process of getting energized into the network. the ron paul thing was a different deal. this is about the most unstable political coalition i have ever seen. it only exists briefly and is at war with itself. it has two very different wings to it. it has beyond anti-war types anti-war, anti imperialists, so far right they show up on the left wing. people a deadly coerned about the actions of the federal reserve. they have 6-months worth of

survival food and ammo in the basement. [laughter] caucus states like maine and minnesota get six delegations of they can place it in nomination. they're trying to influence platform. there be something on auditing the fed appeared this is a weird movement i suspect a lot of ron people are part of the anti-war movement and will not be there for either party in the fall. whether the fed pagers and survivalist will there, we will see. -- fed haters and survivalist will be there, we will see. >> i think there is a 20% chance we see a third candidates in the race. americans are out there still trying to qualify the ballot.

>> we will have a libertarian. this'll be a problem in a couple of close state. >> even have a situation where a is 3% of the votes. we can have the situation that did happen in florida with nader and making a difference in how the boat goes. -- how the vote gs in some of these states. i think that is a real problem. we do not know who that will be real problem for. somebody you is pulling more out of romney or an anti were candidates. -- anti-war candidate. >> being one of those ties with

a lot of charges in the basement. -- cartridges in the basement. >> identify yourself. [laughter] >> i have more than you do. this should theoretically be a slam dunk for the republicans. given the economy. given what has happened. why isn't it? what makes people not comprehend what is going on? >> i am a follower of this. i believe we are a narrowly divided country, 50-50. a number of true independence is shrunk to 8% or 12% of the

electorate. i have a slightly different view of where we are stuck in those camps. it is not because we have a vigorous debate between two parties that have different ideological views of the country. it is because we have two parties you have fought to withdraw. they're like to exhausted boxers to just pummel each other. each side has won victories on civil rights and a question of do we need more fairness. i hate that word. fairness in terms of outcome or opportunity. the republicans have won the war over this. --w war over limited government.

what are we going to do about the war on terror attacks each side does not have answers allowed to break the stalemate. one party or another is going to break the stalemate and move it this way and dominate erican politics for 15 or 20 years or whatever. we are dead even. the economy is bad. it stinks. people feel it instinctively. if you are a democrat, you are willing to make accommodations for the president and if you are not you don't. >> it isike a dead heat out there. it is more anti-incumbent

regardless of the party right now. you could see republicans take significant losses in the house. thus kinds of things could happen. it does t quite jelled the way we normally would think of it. it what i think the most likely to be with obama then romney. i do not mean this in a partisan sense. the power of incumbency, crawl knows what it is like to have that power behind the a in terms of what you can do. the way the electoral map looks in terms of what romney has, if iran may somehow does not get there, or if something goes wrong, a could really go wrong. i do not see that happening with the president.

a lot of the avenues they have been through already. that is a very big deal. i think romney may have a great team. they have not been 3 general election yet. they could stumble. something could go wrong. i think we can have this. but it all falls back in place, it starts to look like a blowout the other way. wow. >> i think we have concluded

that we will have a close election one way or another. i want to thank my panelists for their wonderful contribution. [applause] in particular, i want to thank all of you for coming to kick off our event series. we hope to see at another event soon. thank you so much for coming. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> our guest is christopher calabrese. then they talk about winning the

constitution party presidential nomination. then a look at the upcoming book presidential campaign posters. we will hear from ralph eubanks. 5 every morning starting at 7:00 a.m. eastern here on c-span. the atlantic council held its annual awards dinner this week. honorees included prince harry, who received a humanitarian award. we joined the event as colin paul introduces prince harry. this is 10 minutes. >> thank you, very much, for your kind introduction. it is great to me back and we have the privilege of presenting this award to his royal highness prince harry of wells although all of you know

him as prince harry. do not forget, capt. [applause] apart from recognizing his contributions to humanitarian projects, i would be remiss if i did not note that his presence has altered the normal demographic makeup of our audience. [laughter] we have a record number of young, single women attending this year, prince harry. when you saw them outside -- i also have to say that the average age for an atlantic council dinner has dropped 25 years as a result of your presence. for that, we really, really thank you. [laughter] [applause] prince harry is a young man who

has grown up, not just with good looks and royal privileges, it would have been easy for him to choose a life of ease in leisure. instead, he chose a more difficult path. by so doing, he is become an example to millions of others. it is a path that fully embraces the noblest traditions of service to country and to his fellow human beings. on the one hand, prince harry has bravely followed the traditions generations of british royals before him by serving his country in the military. he is an army officer in the british army since 2006 and deployed with the household cavalry regiment's battle group to helmut province in 2008. he served on the frontline directing british and american aircraft onto enemy targets. he has shown he knows what it

means to lead by example. even when it means possibly paying the ultimate price. only three years ago he applied for pilot training with the army air corps. his aptitude and skills or ideally suited for this role and he earned a place in an apache attack helicopter as a result of that. at the end of his training this year, he was awarded the prize for best co-pilot, one of two awards that marked the best students in the course. he is now serving as an apache pilot with the regiment air corps. prince harry has wholeheartedly continued the royal tradition of advocating on behalf of society's unfortunate members. clearly, the loving effort princess diana made to teach her sons of the importance of serving others has touched the hearts and souls of her to the

zero sons and continues her legacy. harry and his brother, prince william, have always focused on the principal causes of their charitable lies. -- lives. they helped the heroes in 2007. both played a leading role, using their positions to put the spotlight on this extraordinary charity. since the creation of the foundation of prince william and prince harry in 2009, both have moved to make their own mark in the world of philanthropy. they have acted together in support of veteran's charities, undertaking numerous engagements, and developing many different initiatives to help veterans. for someone so young, his charitable ambitions are notable and the impact of his work is very significant. through his efforts, he restores hope and confidence to those who have been wounded in the service of their country.

the most prominent example of this is his participation in the walking with the winded program, -- wounded program, which helps with the troops the metric their courage and determination as they prepare for return to civilian life. prince harry has shown a remarkable ability to lead by example and demonstrates the importance of using one's experience, talent, and 1's position to benefit one's fellow man. the atlantic council recognizes the tremendous commitment prince harry brings to these humanitarian endeavors and honors him for the impact of his charitable work on behalf of soldiers and their families. in presenting him with the 2012 distinguished humanitarian leadership award, we know he will continue to be an inspiring example to young people around the world on the importance of service to others. ladies and gentlemen, i am honored to present to you the

recipient of the 2012 distinguished humanitarian leadership award, his royal highness prince harry. [applause]

>> this is not daunting at all. [laughter] and general powell, thank you for your incredibly kind words. for a captain in the british army to be with such a world renowned soldier and statesman is truly humbling and a little terrifying. it is with great humility that i accept this award. generally, i obviously do not feel i have done enough to deserve it, but i am immensely grateful to the atlantic council, chuck hagel, fred, and the board of the atlantic council for affording me this great honor. if i may, i would like to accept the award on behalf of my brother, william, our foundation, all those on both sides of the atlantic who worked so tirelessly to support our wounded veterans, but particularly to the guys for this is their award. it would be wrong of me to

speak for these heroes, but not presumptuous of me to pay tribute to them. so many of our servicemen and women have made the ultimate sacrifice. so many lives have been lost and so many changed forever by the wounds they have suffered. they have paid a terrible price to keep us safe and free. at the very least, we owe them to make sure that they and their brave families have everything they need in the darkest days and, in time, regain the hope and confidence to flourish again. for these selfless people, it oo flourish again. for these selfless people, it is often the guns of fallen of violence, the dinner battle quietened when the battle begins. a fight they may have lost for the rest of their lives. we will continue to support our armed forces in defense of freedom at home and abroad.

sooner or later, the coverage of them in the media will diminish or cease as coalition forces withdraw from afghanistan. they will no longer be at the forefront of our minds. for the injuries left from a bullet, and ied, watching a fellow corpsman injured or killed, these are experiences that remain with you for life, both physically and mentally. we must be there for our service men and women and their families, standing shoulder to shoulder with the boys. british and american forces to train together, fight the the, and tragically some are wounded and some die together. it makes perfect sense to me, therefore, that we should wear -- that we should work together by playing experience to heal and support to the wounded veterans of those truly brothers and sisters in arms.

it was a privilege for me to work alongside the american special enforces. i would personally like to congratulate morning surge major brian but hadley of -- brian betaglia. for his contribution to the defense of freedom. using a fortunate position, william and i have fought two ways -- to raise awareness, to help mobilize support and resources for them. we have tried to do what we can to make sure that servicemen and women and their families leave the military with purpose, with hope, and with confidence. whether in their working in averments or in the wider community, these fine people are examples to was all and have been voluble -- an invaluable

contribution to make. lester, and struggled to keep up with four british soldiers wide joint for part of their expedition toile -- to what the north pole. they had each been gravely wounded in the battlefields of afghanistan. theirs was the fastest team to reach the pole that season appeared at that moment, another team of our wounded is returning from mount everest. sadly, i am the first to say that they were frustrated from reaching the summit with unusually warm rather -- warm weather which brings dangerous conditions. but i find them totally amazing. ladies and gentlemen, these people are extraordinary. that is why i feel so humble excepting this wonderful honor for me tonight. i congratulated all halt -- i congratulate wholeheartedly our

award winners. but i morceau congratulate our wounded veterans. good night. [applause] >> former undersecretary of state and the ambassador nicholas burns has authored a new report on the importance of the atlantic alliance for ensuring nato's fidelity. he will speak about his report in the upcoming nato summit in chicago and take questions money at the atlantic council. you can watch it live at 4:00 p.m. eastern here on c-span. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> these men go through things and have scars that no one can understand except each other. >> the first thing that startled us was the relationship between harry truman and herbert hoover who worked to such personally and politically different men and two in the performing this alliance that neither of them

would have anticipated and ended up being enormously productive and formed the foundation of what became a very deep friendship. the letters between them later in their lives about how important they had become important one another -- how part of the had become to one another is really extraordinary. >> the private and privatpublic relationships of american presidents. sunday at 8:00 p.m. on c-span's "q&a." >> cutting back in age where crime is global in ways that it was not 10 years ago -- and by that, i mean whether it be organized crime or cyber crime or white collar crime, gangs -- they are global crime and they have the best chance for addressing globalized criminal activity is the fbi.

consequently, if you cut us at a time when it is growing, it is a double hit in some sense. >> the fbi director testified on capitol hill on the negative impact of budget cuts, political correctness, and renewing the foreign intelligence surveillance act. watch it online at the video library. all are dead-end searchable. you can clip portions to e-mail and blog post. >> now, more from the atlantic council awards dinner. united nations secretary general ban ki moon was celebrated. this is one hour. >> i can imagine no man more per britain -- no morthan more prepd

to present the next award. let me introduce you to another czech cable. this is the one who served in the ninth infantry division with his brother tom in 1962 during the vietnam war. these two enlisted soldiers were literally brothers in arms, serving side-by-side. they as often as not have walked. together, the most dangerous spots at the head of their ambush and reconnaissance patrols in the steaming jungles of the mekong delta. they watched firsthand as their comrades perish around them, still managing to forge ahead in bravery that resulted in five purple hearts, two four trucchuk

and three for tom. the also saved each other's lives. chuck kagle his injured brother out of a truck before it blew up. it turned his own fish into building blisters. he prayed as he watched blood pours out of tom's years. he reflected after that, as he lay near death, severely burned in a makeshift hospital. "i made a promise to myself," he writes in his excellent book," that if i got out of the place and was never in a position to do something about war, so horrible and so filled with suffering, i would do whatever i could to stop. forgotten thata promise." we celebrate him this evening. he understands how difficult it

is after war to rejoin society because he did it. he understands the physical and psychological traumas that prince harry has spoken of so eloquently. his remarkable life of public service have been informed in some ways from what he experienced as a young man. we of the atlantic council salute you. [applause] >> thank you. i am grateful for the opportunity to make this award presentation not just because i was once an unlisted man in the armed forces. not because i have anything against officers. [laughter] but the listed men and women,

they're the ones who earn an honest living. [laughter] when i was in the army, generals used to scare me and paralyze me. that is no longer the case. but sergeant major is due. [laughter] that is right. that is a former sergeant major of there. but they are -- are enlisted men and women deserve special recognition, not sliding our officers and those who also dedicate themselves to our country to make it a better world veered but tonight, we honor -- a better world. but tonight, we honor our men and women. there are so many ambassadors here tonight from all over the world. in each of those embassadors represents a nation with an armed force.

i have always believed that, not having to do with me or my brother, it is the enlisted men and women of any country's armed forces that makes up the sinew and the blood in the tissue and muscle and the fabric and the spirit of our services. i doubt if there is an officer in this room, beginning with general powell and general and umbriel and other distinguished great leaders in this room who would disagree with anything that i have just said, nor would they disagree with the fact that we are honoring our enlisted men and women tonight. but since i have a microphone -- that is the way we will do it. enlisted men and women don't have much to do with making policy. but enlisted men and women faithfully always carry out the policy.

they don't ask for anything special. it is the enlisted men and women and their families that are the ones who really take a tremendous amount of the brunt of active duty work and make a tremendous amount of sacrifices. i thought prince harry is comments about families was particularly important and i want to thank prince harry and his brother prince william for what they continue to do in recognizing our men and women in uniform all over the world. men and women who serve in the armed forces do it because they believe in something. they believe in a noble cause. they believe in their country.

they believe in the security for their country. but they believe in something deeper and bigger than that. they believe in a better world. they believe they can help make a better world. regardless of the service, the military service or the ngos service or what paul pullman talk about tonight in the corporate leadership universe, it is about service. it is about making a better world. it is about leaving behind a better world. it is about young people. we understand that and we know that. every parent in this room understands that very well. so to recognize these quiet and acclaimed heroes of our armed forces is the right thing to do. i think it balances very well the other honorees tonight.

it recognizes, yes, the sacrifices and the service of these men and women and their families. but it makes a statement about who we are. any man or woman who has served his or her country in uniform knows that those individuals are the ones who most hate and the --t werwar -- and the test or and detest war. but they also know that it is a vital part of the bridge to understanding. i will ask a very distinguished individual, a senior enlisted budget to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff to come up here in a moment. but i want to tell you a bit about him as a sergeant major bataglia makes his way

appear to accept the award in the name of all the enlisted men and women. he is the senior non- commissioned officer in the united states armed forces. in this role, he serves as the principal military adviser to the chairman, the secretary of defense on all matters involving joint and combined total force integration utilization, the health of the force, and joint development for enlisted personnel. he is the recipient of many prestigious military awards and decorations, including a purple heart, the commendation medal and other metals. his wife is here tonight, who also deserve recognition.

the men and women in uniform better around the room here tonight in uniform are here to represent their colleagues in the five services of our country we applaud them and had an opportunity right before dinner was served to have them backstage in get photographs with members like general powell and all of the honorees, which was a great treat for them. each of them said it was a bigger treat for them to get

their picture taken with these enlisted men and women. as an old army sergeant, i would say in bringing sergeant major battaglia up here, for a marine, a he is all right. [laughter] sergeant major bryan battaglia, come on up. [applause] ♪

♪ ♪ >> members of the atlantic county, guests, ladies and gentlemen, good evening. as i stand before you, let me thank you for this prestigious honor. those who have served and those who are serving as members of our armed forces. we are extremely grateful -- [applause] thank you. we are extremely grateful to be recognized alongside others here this evening. allow me to express my

appreciation for what you do. as our senior officer and a lifelong member to this profession, it is humbling to represent an enlisted corps of over 1 million men and women, a diverse and powerful composition reaching all walks of life. no corner of our country untouched which has continuously involved to our inventory of dynamic leaders. traditionally referred to as the backbone of our military, are forced brings a robust strength, skills, and the grit to carry a heavy load. across the years, we have witnessed a transformation of craftsmen to a 21st century multitalented enlisted corps that comprises over 80% of our force.

as times have of all, so has our society and the value of our service members. equally important are noncommissioned officers who bring advanced portfolio of expertise and art. we are no longer simply a defender of society but rather a vigorous group which helps sustain the commitments of americans to everything we value, honor, in equal opportunity, leadership, and integrity, to mention a few. many of you in this room, notably prince harry, a fighter pilot, understands the trust, confidence, and leadership and commitment needed from his soldiers in order for the mission to get accomplished. lisa, air force, lisa ann, coast guard.

i share the stage with five warriors. [applause] they stand here this evening and share the pride in representing an enlisted force past and present, service members dating back 237 years, the beginning of building a world-class military that gladly serves this nation today. across the decades, our men and women have provided freedoms within the borders of our homeland and beyond.

enlisted warriors the past, like the person who led an attack on a german machine-gun nest, eliminating a platoon of enemy soldiers in capturing 132 others. warriors like our special forces who risk much to ensure our adversaries bring nor harm. present warriors, like our national guardsmen who can bring immediate relief to our communities and neighborhoods. enlisted warriors who give their full devotion of duty who are now when our cemeteries. finally, enlisted warriors like evening, ithis

sons, daughters, siblings, who look for no fanfare but opportunity. opportunity to make a difference, to make our country a better place. ladies and gentlemen, it would please me to no end if all enlisted members past and present would please stand so we can recognize you. [applause] thank you. this robust and artistic groups you recognize would have never accelerated or developed over the years if not for the vision of our commission officer corps. our leaders capture the

potential value. it is those which have bridge to the trust between our officers and noncommissioned officers. general dempsey and i are proud of our force but we also recognize we cannot do what we do without the support of our families. the commitment and sacrifice of our spouses, children, parents, and siblings play a role to our success and sustainment of our future. let me proclaim that our enlisted men and women representing all volunteer of force to remain attached to our society and a central part in the shaping of our country. they are not just guardians of our nation but the future of our democracy and the aspiration of the world's people. thank you for this honor and may god continue to bless our troops and their families. thank you. [applause]

>> now we call on to the culminating portion of the evening when we award the 2012 distinguished international leadership award. it is my privilege to invite to this stage the man who will present the award to this year's recipients, united nations secretary general ban ki moon.

doctor henry kissinger. after which, after ban ki moon, anne-sophie mutter will send us home with a musical tribute to the secretary general and united nations. henry kissinger is a man who needs no introduction. let me repeat that. henry kissinger is a man who needs no introduction. wait a minute. i am not sure enough i got that right. the last time i heard doctor kissinger introduce that way years ago, he came to the podium and said, thank you but your introduction was too modest. when he was called upon again to introduce doctor kissinger, he mentioned his comment and

then went on at some length about his brilliance, his books, his government service, his nobel peace prize, and so on. it went on for some time. then he came to the podium and said to the audience, it is true that no man needs an introduction less than i do but no man appreciates one more. [laughter] as national security adviser and secretary of state to presidents nixon and ford, kissinger was a key participant at every stage of their presidencies. during his decade of dominance in american foreign policy, he brokered historic to deals and engineered ships in the -- profound shifts in the

international relations landscaped affect us to this day. witness the reverberating breakthrough with china on the 40th anniversary of the visit. you are welcome for the plug of your book. he has continued to be an advisor to presidents and has exercised influence on the decisions of statesmen around the world. doctor kissinger, you have been something of a mentor to the secretary general and others leaders. you are also the longest serving board member of the atlantic's council. we have proffered from your intellect, and yes, your wicked sense of humor. ladies and gentlemen, doctor henry kissinger. [applause]

>> your royal highnesses, mr. secretary-general, ladies and gentlemen, on one occasion, after an eloquent introduction up to me following the reception and said, i understand you are a fascinating man. she said, fascinate me. [laughter] it was one of the less successful conversations. [laughter] that i have had.

in 1951, before i was henry kissinger -- [laughter] i was an intern at an organization called the operation research office of the department of the army. they sent me to korea to study the impact of the u.s. army on korean life for which i was spectacularly ill-equipped. [laughter] but it gave me an opportunity to travel around the country in the middle of the korean war.

the country was devastated. the largest building in seoul was the headquarters of the japanese government that had since been torn down. no one would have believed it, that a day would come that a secretary-general of the united nations would be a distinguished korean leader. or that korea would look as it does today.

it would have seemed totally improbable that a korean diplomat would travel around the world, acting in some respects as the conscience of mankind. a secretary general of the united nations who is active in places as far-flung as syria, sudan, burma, seeking to mediate and delay suffering.

that this was possible at all is a tribute to the faith and dedication of the korean people, who had a vision to overcome their suffering and their destruction, and emerge as one of the leading countries of asia, and of the world. and it is equally true, due to the qualities of secretary- general, who, as a diplomat, and now in his current position, has taken a position of wise and subtle leadership.

his conduct is unassuming. his demeanor is modest. and as he has said on one occasion, modesty is an aspect of demeanor. it is not an attribute of vision and purpose. he has shown vision and purpose, and he has done it from the delicate position of having to earn the confidence of the many conflicting tendencies that exist in the world today.

this is really the first period in which international affairs have become truly global in the sense that actions in any part of the world affect every other part. and in this capacity, the secretary-general, ban ki-moon, has put forward a five year action plan that deals with climate and environmental challenges, nonproliferation, counterterrorism, combating infectious disease,

strengthening the international financial system, ensuring global growth and sustainability. and so it is no accident that the first asian leader to receive this award from the atlantic council should receive it, not primarily for the efforts he conducted on behalf of his nation, but for the efforts he has conducted on behalf of of humanity, of providing a forum where disputes can be aired, a mechanism where reconciliation can be attempted, and a possibility in which serious

efforts can be made to discuss many technical problems in a world in which the traditional conflicts are no long dominant but new visions are needed for those issues that can only be dealt with on a global basis. so i'm very grateful to the atlantic council for giving me this opportunity to pay tribute to a distinguished leader.

and i am obliged to point out to you that the organizers not fully confident that i would represent myself adequately of this, have asked me not only to introduce the secretary- general, but introduce a video of the secretary-general. [laughter] after which i will give the award to my admired friend, the secretary-general of the united nations. [applause] >> the last 10 days, including 120 meetings with the government and foreign head of state, head of ministers.

i chaired the high level meeting of pakistan, and somalia. >> what huge amount of work gets done but also the opportunity to have a voice, talking about the issues that they care about. >> climate change and public issues. global health issues. we were able to mobilize $40 billion to reduce brutality and dying of women and children. >> it is amazing to watch. one day he gives 30 speeches on different topics, different priorities. >> i wake up at 4:00 a.m. that gives me the best time, without any interruption. i have private time. it's like i am on conveyor belt. i spend time with my family

members. unfortunately, my youngest randdaughter, i am immensely grateful to my wife, my children for having been very patient, understanding my situation. >> he has 192 constituents he looks after. 192 nations with interests that he must fairly reflect. >> when i was a young child, my background as a person was born in very poor country, which country has risen as one important economic power. that i can play a role between developing and developed countries. i start every day, every morning as if this is the first day in my office as secretary- general. each time i have met those young people who seemingly would

have any hope before, who would have hope for me, and you cannot help but be trooper. how united nations can have opportunity. today we are being tested in all we do. let us send a clear message there can be no peace without trust. [applause] [applause]

>> thank you for that kind introduction. the world has looked to -- and your contribution has been great. [applause] i think you, doctor kissinger, for your support of the united nations and for myself as the secretary general. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, let me join in congratulating the

other honorees of this meeting. paul polman, enlisted men and women of the united states, and his royal highness prince harry. this is a distinguished company indeed. [applause] general colin powell, doctor rajiv shah, maestro andre previn, honorable members of the congress, excellencies, members of the diplomatic quorum, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen, thank you as well for your warm welcome. thank you to the board of the atlantic council, chairman senator hagel and president frederick kempe, for their extraordinary honor. i take it as an eloquent symbol of partnership, united states and the united nations, and, therefore, all the staff and peacekeeping operations staff, and i humbly accept this honor.

seldom, if ever, have our principles and shared been more relevant. seldom if ever has this partnership been more vital than at this moment. ladies and gentlemen, our world is rough place. where we trust the forces of enlisted men and women. as secretary-general of the united nations, my thoughts are with more than 120,000 u.n. peacekeeping operations staff, from more than 120 countries, who are working day and night on the very difficult and dangerous circumstances. my deepest admiration's to all

of them, and to all the people who are working tirelessly for peace and stability around the world. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, let us cast our eyes across the choked political landscape. in syria, the violence still continues. we are in a race against time to prevent a full scale civil war. tensions between iran remains dangerous. they recently launched another missile, and appear to be contemplating another nuclear tests in defiance of the entire community.

we see famine coming into the sahara. military coups in mali. south sudan is on the brink of conflict that not long ago claimed 2 million lives. add to this the crisis in euro area, climate change, the pressure of a growing population, 7 billion, on our planet. we have planetary limitations. almost every year we look in the sense we see growing insecurity, growing injustice, growing social inequality. if i were to speak like an economist, i might say we have an oversupply of problems.

and the deficit of solutions, our deficits of leadership. that partly reflects the great changes of transforming our modern world. power is shifting. the old order is breaking down and we do not yet know the shape of the new. 20 years ago at the end of the cold war, the united states and its traditional allies could be counted on to lead the world through uncertainty and change. today, that is much more difficult. and yet tonight, i want to state clearly, we need leadership, your leadership. in these times of deep uncertainty during this era of change and transformation, we need a sort of leadership that

has long distinguished this venerable atlantic council. a leadership dedicated to the common good of a global common good, a leadership of nations, acting in concert as we have seen, with truly global stewardship. this is the leadership that created the united nations and is the founding channel. this is the leadership that will keep our principles all live and strong. ladies and gentlemen, as you may know, i lived through the korean war, as was eloquently introduced by dr. kissinger. the united nations, led by the united states, helped us through that dark hour. they came to us to rescue on the brink of collapse.

forever after, the united nations community has been a beacon of hope and is still is, billions of others around the world. when ever i see all of them who are looking to the united nations, i am humbled. what kind of support can i bring to them? today, as then, i believe the united nations can and must be the solution to the worlds great challenges. engagement through the united nations, share the costs and responsibilities of leadership for all universal values and to steer the world through this great transition. that is why in january, as i

begin my second term, i sent out a roadmap for my five year second term as secretary- general. they are in effect five imperatives of collective global action, opportunities to create the future we want, how to fight climate change and chart a new development. a path of sustainable growth and development. how to prevent country and response to disasters and other humanitarian emergencies, from many man-made tragedies, man- made crisis. how to create a more just secure and equitable world grounded in universal human rights. how to support the nations in transition to democracy. where many people still in arab and north africa are suffering

for their rights and forth their aspirations, rights for human dignity. and how to give the world of women and young children greater voice and opportunity. let me say a few words about the common thread that weaves through all of them. that is the importance of putting people first. this is what politicians often say. but not many politicians are putting people first. the role of justice and fundamental freedoms, and essential quality of human dignity. this is what united nations and i as secretary-general is trying to do, putting people first. 01:52:50 ladies and gentlemen,

[applause] during the past year our collective values were tested. the international community responded with courage, decisiveness and unity. where the incumbent president refused to stand down after having lost the election. when he threatened his people with a civil war in order to preserve his own power, illegal power, we stood for democracy and human rights. today he is awaiting trial in the international criminal court in the hague, and other --

and the legitimate president is in office. when moammar gadhafi threatened and killed his own people, we acted. in doing so we have forced a fundamental new principle. the responsibility to protect. in each case, it is important to recognize that there will be action collectively under the umbrella of legitimacy provided by the african union, united states and others. general brent scowcroft, who has been such a strong leader of the atlantic council, said himself that this is the way of future, and i couldn't agree more. few events in modern memory have been more inspiring or more challenging than the arab

spring. from the outset, the united nations has called on nations to listen to their people. to enter into an inclusive dialogue with them. for some, it was too late. now we must have these nations. -- now we must help these nations in transition. that is one of my priorities. in tunisia, egypt, libya and israel, we are working for

solutions that focus on people. building democratic institutions, helping to promote human rights, creating jobs and economies, economic opportunities, especially for women and young people. the challenge in syria is especially difficult. the government continues to assault its people everyday. unfortunately, we see the most appalling images, firing in city centers, innocent civilians are dying, even children. security forces are arresting and torturing people with great to brutality. meanwhile, attacks by the opposition have escalated. as of today, the united nations has deployed 59 supervision nations, and we will expedite -- 59 supervising missions, and we

will expedite this number. the district will have more than 130, and by 15 of this may we will have more than 230 people. and we are accelerating to implement secretary council resolutions to complement our 300 military supervisors, and approximately 100 before this month. our most immediate call is to save human life, to see the end of this violence. and the presence of u.n. monitors have, in some cases, reduced the intensity of violence in syria. but it is still very precarious. but we must also create an opening for political engagement. between the government and those seeking change. let me say clearly, this is a difficult mission and a difficult moment. this is a dangerous mission. we know the risk to our brave

observers. we know that syrian citizens could face punishment for even speaking with them, and we know the nature of the regime, which could very choose the presence - which could well use the presence pg yjr ,oddopm gpt further violence. i call on the syrian government to follow up on the six point plan without further delay. as ever, strenuous

partnerships are indispensable. the league of arab states and others presented here tonight. we cannot predict how this will land but we do know that there can be no compromise on fundamental principles of justice and human rights in syria or elsewhere. no amount of force -- [applause] [applause] no amount of force can crush people's aspirations. 12 days ago, charles taylor was found guilty by a special tribunal. today, i say no leader anywhere at anytime should think he or she enjots immunity from crimes of atrocity. [applause] [applause]