Post date: Apr 23, 2012 5:46:22 PM
In his first appearance as president at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum before his address to dozens of survivors, dignitaries, and members of congress, Obama paid his respects to all of the genocide victims at the museum's Hall of Remembrance.
Obama and survivor Elie Wiesel paused on their way in, bowed their heads and lit several candles for a moment of silence and remembrance. They lit candles at a section of the museum devoted to the Buchenwald concentration camp, in memory of Obama's great-uncle who helped liberate prisoners at the camp at the end of the World War Two.
Obama calls for new sanctions on those helping Syria and Iran acquire technology that targets dissidents through cell phone and Internet use.
WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (APRIL 23, 2012) (POOL) - U.S. President Barack Obama announced on Monday (April 23) new sanctions on those helping Syria and Iran acquire technology that lets them target dissidents through their cell phone and Internet use.
Wiesel called upon the international community to not let history repeat itself -- pointing to Iran and Syria.
"Have we learned anything from it, if so how is it that Assad is it still in power. How is it that the holocaust number one denier Ahmadinejad is still a president? He who threatens to use nuclear weapon, to use nuclear weapons, to destroy the Jewish state," said Wiesel before introducing Obama.
Obama spoke of the legacy that ought to be left to future generations.
"We must tell our children but more than that we must teach them because remembrance without resolve is a hollow gesture, awareness without action changes nothing, in a sense 'never again' challenge to as all to pause and to look within. For the Holocaust may have reached its barbaric climax at Treblinka, Auschwitz, Belzec, but started in the hearts of ordinary men and women, and we have seen it again," Obama said.
Obama used the occasion to unveil an executive order aimed at punishing those helping Syria and Iran acquire technology to target dissidents using social media tools. The president also addressed security threats towards Israel.
"When international forums single out Israel with unfair resolutions we vote against them, when attempts are made to delegitimize the state of Israel we oppose them, when faced with regime that threatens global security and denies the holocaust and threatens to destroy Israel the United States will do everything in its power to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon," Obama said.
The executive order calls for freezes to U.S. assets linked to people found to have aided satellite, computer and phone network monitoring in Iran and Syria.
"Despite all the tanks and all the spinners, al the torture and brutality unleashed against them the Syrian people is still brave the street, they still demand to be heard, they still seek their dignity, the Syrian people has not given up, that's why we can't give up," Obama said.