US Foreign Policy LiveBlog: Barack Obama Addresses United Nations

1436 GMT: And That's It. Obama closes with that call for unity.

We'll have a full analysis tomorrow, but apart from the push on Israel and Palestine --- and even that passage which went on too long with emotional rhetoric, although Obama closed strongly by saying that the UN would meet next year with "an independent and sovereign Palestine" --- nothing much to hang on to.

CNN is waxing rhapsodic over Obama putting out "grand themes", but I don't think the call for "free economies", i.e., the iconic model of capitalism, will resonate too much with the General Assembly or peoples abroad. It felt more like a play for the domestic audience on the eve of Congressional elections, and it undercut the possibilities that Obama had promised for a US commitment to "development". At points the grand rhetoric was stretched to breaking point; it's hard to see how Obama's campaign to end corruption squares with the uneasy American involvement with a government like Afghanistan's.

As for Iran, Obama focused only on the nuclear issue, and it appeared that his rhetoric --- while talking tough --- was tilted toward encouragement of renewed talks.

One other note: while Obama --- in my view, fortunately --- got away from his drum-beat of extremists, extremists, extremists in the opening passage of the speech, this still came down to a very Us v. Them presentation. Look up at the passage where he set up the criteria for America's allies and for its adversaries. The Obama of "inclusion" from 2009 is now quite close to the Bush of "Good v. Evil" in 2002/2003, even if he throws out the consolation of a US drawdown in Iraq.

1435 GMT: Stay the Course. "Although we are met by dark forces who test our resolve, Americans have had cause to believe we can choose a better history."

1432 GMT: A call on all countries to stand up for dissidents and for freedom in other nations. No specific reference to particular human rights cases.

Indeed, here are Obama's iconic locations: "a future where Iraq is governed neither by tyrant nor a foreign power (Iran?), a future where Afghanistan is free from the turmoil of war, a future where the children of Israel and Palestine can build a peace that was not possible for their parents".

1431 GMT: Set-piece phrases on inclusion of women (to applause), peacekeeping, and accountability of UN.

1430 GMT: "No one country has all the answers, but all of us must answer to our own people" with innovation and good government.

Obama asking everyone to return next year with promises to defeat corruption (even in Afghanistan?) and strengthen freedom.

1429 GMT: Obama name-checking the stops on his forthcoming Asia tour, praising the countries as "democracies in their own ways".

1428 GMT: Still moving around generalities on "open societies" and citizens having say in choice of their government.

1427 GMT: Obama comes back to a declaration of a US introduction of a "new development policy", but I'm not sure what this means given that he is hammering away at the free economy line rather than actually talking about the specific challenges of development.

1425 GMT: More flourishes on "open societies, open economies, open governments". "Democracy, more than any other form of government, delivers for its citizens....American is working to shape a world" that pursues this.

Obama then refers to provision of education and health for all but this depends on healthy economies.

1423 GMT: Ah, "those who defend these values for their people have been our closest friends and allies while those who have denied those rights are the terrorist groups or tyrannical governments who have chosen to be our adversaries".

Ah, Good v. Evil. Us v. Them. Obama name-checks the Taliban who prevent girls from going to school, the "North Korean regime that enslaves its own peoples", (nice touch, CNN, cutting to the stone-faced Pyongyang delegates), or armed groups that use rape as a weapon of war.

How exactly does this differs from President Bush's "Axis of Evil" rhetoric in January 2002? Oh, yes, no Saddam Hussein, since the US is withdrawing from the war of choice.

1422 GMT: References to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and "freedom, justice, and peace", with a quote from Robert Kennedy thrown in. Where is this heading?

1421 GMT: Obama wandering a bit as he tries to find a big finish: "What are we trying to build in the long-term?"

1419 GMT: Obama is really pressing with the rhetoric to the point of pleading for support. Little in substance, more the emotional call such as helping the "young girl in Gaza" to have a peaceful future.

1416 GMT: Call on "friends of Israel" --- no doubt including those in the US --- to recognise that there must be a Palestinian state. Call on "friends of Palestine" --- explicitly address those in the UN hall --- to insist on a renunciation of violence and to help the Palestinian Authority with aid (unsubtle message: uphold the PA to keep Hamas at a distance).

1415 GMT: Intriguing. Obama raises the issue of Israeli settlement construction, praising the freeze on expansion in the West Bank over the last 10 months "which has made a difference on the ground and improved the atmosphere for talks".

But that settlement is due to expire on Sunday. What will Obama say? "Our position on this issue is well-known. We believe the moratorium should be extended. We also believe talks should press on until complete. Now is the time for the parties to help each other overcome this obstacle....Now is the time for this opportunity to be seized."

Hmm....

1414 GMT: Praise of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas for pursuing negotiations but "the road that they have to travel is exceedingly difficult". Obama calls on "Israelis and Palestinians and the world" to support them.

1411 GMT: Now the big theme, flagged up to US media since yesterday: "We have pursued peace", notably through the Israel-Palestine talks.

Obama --- again as flagged to the press --- recognises that "many are pessimistic" about results, and he warns "rejectionists" will try to stop the process. "But I ask you to consider the alternatives...of Palestinians never knowing the pride and dignity" that come with their own state and "Israelis never knowing security."

Here's the flourish: "More blood will be shed. This Holy Land will remain a symbol of our differences instead of our common humanity. I refuse to accept that future."

1410 GMT: From nukes to climate change, with general words on meeting commitments while pursuing green economies. Slide to how much the US is doing with disaster relief from Pakistan to Haiti and praising UN personnel who lost their lives in those efforts.

1408 GMT: And it's another shift to chasing "world's most dangerous extremists" to denying them "the world's most dangerous weapons". Obama name-checks the US agreement with Russia and the general pursuit of non-proliferation.

Cue the Iran section of the speech, as Obama refers to his speech last year at the UN that "Iran must be held accountable" and declares, "That is what we have done."

He hits his high note: "Let me be clear once more. The United States and the international community seek a resolution to our differences with Iran, and the door remains open to diplomacy should Iran choose to walk through it. But the Iranian Government demonstrate a clear and credible commitment and confirm to the world the peaceful intents of its nuclear program."

1406 GMT: Obama sets the foundation of what his Administration over the last 20 months to address these challenges. He starts by outlining how the imminent financial threat was handled by bringing world "back from the brink of depression" but "we cannot and will not rest until the seeds of progress grow into a broader prosperity, not just for Americans but for peoples around the globe".

Then it's back to the threat of Al Qa'eda, while twinning this with the US draw-down from the war of choice in Iraq and establishment of "a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people".

That lets Obama move easily to the US intervention in Afghanistan to vanquish the Taliban, turning the country over to "Afghan responsibility" beginning next July. But that's not all: "From South Asia to the Horn of Africa, we are moving toward a more targeted approach, one that strengthens our partners to dismantle terrorist networks without deploying large American armies".

1404 GMT: Yep, that's the dual challenge that Obama will put out: "extremists", who have attacked from Casablanca to London, and the economy.

1402 GMT: Obama takes the podium at the UN General Assembly and begins with formulaic words about talking at a time of great challenge, turning this to the hope of pursuing opportunity.

It only takes a minute for Obama, in the course of discussing a "difficult decade", to refer to the attacks of 11 September 2001. He then jumps to the financial crisis of 2008.