Hillary Clinton Discusses Obama Team's National Security Priorities
Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton indicated Tuesday that the new administration's top foreign policy priorities will be ending the war in Iraq, developing a new strategy in Afghanistan, and pursuing nuclear arms control efforts.
In her Senate confirmation hearing, Clinton said U.S. policy on Afghanistan will be reviewed and called the issue "the highest priority of the president-elect." She reiterated Obama's pledge "to responsibly end" the war in Iraq. Clinton also said of arms control and nonproliferation efforts: "This is one of the passionate concerns of the president-elect." She added that her transition review of the State Department had found that capacities in those two areas in recent years "had been significantly degraded." Clinton also indicated that she would be returning to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to request higher funding for the State Department, saying "we need to invest in our capacity to conduct vigorous American diplomacy."
Clinton fielded overwhelmingly friendly questions, and the tone at the packed hearing suggested that her confirmation in the coming days seems to be firmly on track.
Sen. Richard Lugar, the panel's ranking Republican, urged that her husband, former President Bill Clinton, not accept further foreign contributions for his global philanthropic work in order to avoid any possible conflicts of interest. But the issue did not play a significant part in the first part of the hearing.
The nominee also said that policy toward Iran and North Korea—two states pursuing nuclear programs—would be reviewed, declining to outline specific negotiating steps until a more thorough review is completed. She stressed that the emphasis in dealing with both would be diplomacy in various forms but added, "We are not taking any option off the table"—a traditional formulation that leaves open the question of potential military action.
Despite concerns that global economic and other problems had hurt U.S. standing in the world, Clinton sought to offer an upbeat counter to the gloomy outlook given by some foreign policy specialists in recent months. She alluded to the lift that the U.S. image overseas is expected to receive with the presence of Barack Obama, whom she said "embodies the American dream, not only here at home, but far beyond our shore."
Reader Comments
Palestinian Solution?
The Bush administration failed to make a Palestinian state a top foreign policy issue. Ms. Clinton surely recognizes that this single issue is hugely important to the Islamic world. Israel can't destroy Hamas, only it's current leadership. Their actions in Gaza will only intensify and perpetuate more hatred of Israel in both the occupied territories and the Arab world at large. This unhealed wound must be healed and the United States remains the only power that can lead all parties to the table.
Time for the Iraq Government to step up to the plate!!!!!
This IRAQNAM unpopular war must end ASAP. It's far exceeding the costs of all previous wars and the fighting equipment is still not up to date which is causing too many lives to be lost.
The Iraq Government loves all the American money that's been pouring in for years and is reluctant to change their bad habits. This GREED must stop ASAP.
Agreed, that terrorists worldwide are a big threat just not to the USA but the entire world.
The USA needs more allies to combat the terrorists activities because our military needs more active personnel in their forces which means to reactivate the military draft ASAP. This all volunteer military is not working as it should and there are too many National Guard and Reserve Forces overseas. These reserve forces are needed back home to enforce the illeagal immigration and border crossings laws.
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