Obama's speech to British Parliament praised for strength, humility

In a historic address to the British Parliament today, President Obama insisted that even while a new world order was being shaped, the US, Britain, and their allies would continue to play an essential role in bringing peace and prosperity to the world.

“As millions are still denied their basic human rights because of who they are, or what they believe, or the kind of government they live under, we are the nations most willing to stand up for the values of tolerance and self-determination that lead to peace and dignity,” he said, adding that the alliance between the US and Europe would continue to shape a world “in which new nations could emerge and individuals could thrive."

The wide-ranging speech, which also focused on the economy, nuclear proliferation, and the importance of education, received a standing ovation from Parliament and was praised for its statesmanlike themes and tones.

“He recognized the strength of the past but stressed the need to turn the values upheld by Anglo-American relations in their origins into universal values," says James Ellison, of the School of History at Queen Mary, University of London. "This was a speech of interdependence and multilateralism. Obama’s gone a long way today to extend America’s history beyond Bush.

“I can’t think of an American president making such a sensitive speech in Europe for some time,” he adds, noting that it struck the right balance between strength and humility.

The speech marked the first time an American president had addressed Parliament in the historic setting of Westminster Hall, which has played a central role in the nation's government for 900 years. Only three other foreign dignitaries have been accorded this honor since World War II: Charles de Gaulle, Nelson Mandela, and Pope Benedict XVI.

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