Unite to fight terrorism stalking Manhattan to Mumbai: Obama

Washington, April 11 (IANS) US President Barack Obama Saturday asked nations around the world to come together to solve global problems like a recession, climate change, nuclear proliferation and international terrorism that has claimed innocent lives 'from Manhattan to Mumbai'.

It is important to acknowledge no single nation can solve global problems, but working with other nations, the US can lead the way in overcoming these challenges, Obama said in his weekly address after a weeklong trip overseas.

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Describing it as a 'time when we face tests and trials unlike any we have seen in our time,' the president spoke of 'an economic crisis that recognizes no borders. Violent extremism that's claimed the lives of innocent men, women, and children from Manhattan to Mumbai'.

'An unsustainable dependence on foreign oil and other sources of energy that pollute our air and water and threaten our planet. The proliferation of the world's most dangerous weapons, the persistence of deadly disease, and the recurrence of age-old conflicts,' he said listing the challenges.

'These are challenges that no single nation, no matter how powerful, can confront alone. The United States must lead the way. But our best chance to solve these unprecedented problems comes from acting in concert with other nations,' he said.

That is why he had met with leaders of the G20 nations to ensure that the world's largest economies take strong and unified action in the face of the global economic crisis, Obama said.

'It is only by working together that we will finally defeat 21st century security threats like Al Qaeda,' he said.

'Make no mistake: we live in a dangerous world, and we must be strong and vigilant in the face of these threats,' Obama said.

'But let us not allow whatever differences we have with other nations to stop us from coming together around those solutions that are essential to our survival and success.'