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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

Date: 02/11/2009 Description: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton State Dept Photo The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President's chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President's foreign policies through the State Department and the Foreign Service of the United States. On January 21, 2009, Hillary Rodham Clinton was sworn in as the 67th Secretary of State of the United States.


New Era of Engagement
"Whether in Latin America or Lebanon, Iran or Liberia, those who are inspired by democracy, who understand that democracy is about more than just elections – that it must also protect minority rights and press freedom, develop strong, competent and independent judiciaries, legislatures and executive agencies, and commit for democracy to deliver results – these are the people who will find that Americans are their friends, not adversaries." Full Text | Video

Date: 07/15/2009 Description: Secretary Clinton's Foreign Policy Address at the Council on Foreign Relations. © State Dept Image

Smart Power
“We must use what has been called “smart power”: the full range of tools at our disposal -- diplomatic, economic, military, political, legal, and cultural -- picking the right tool, or combination of tools, for each situation. With smart power, diplomacy will be the vanguard of foreign policy. This is not a radical idea. The ancient Roman poet Terence, who was born a slave and rose to become one of the great voices of his time, declared that “in every endeavor, the seemly course for wise men is to try persuasion first.” The same truth binds wise women as well.” Full Text | Video

Date: 2009-01-13 00:00:00.0 Description: Hillary Rodham Clinton testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to be Secretary of State. State Dept Photo

Travel to Europe and Asia
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is traveling to Europe and Asia November 8-19, 2009.

Meeting the Challenges of Freedom
Secretary Clinton (Nov. 8): "[O]ur history did not end the night the Wall came down. It began anew. And this matters not only to tens of millions of Europeans, and to the United States, but to people everywhere. How do we take this gift of freedom, this alliance of values, this commitment for a better future, and put it to work to meet the challenges of freedom today? The new nations of a united Europe are our partners, standing with us in Afghanistan, patrolling waters against pirates, working to combat poverty, helping to prevent terrorism, promoting our common values." Full Text

Forum for the Future
Secretary Clinton (Nov. 3):
"As President Obama and I believe, it is results, not rhetoric, that matter in the end. Economic empowerment, education, healthcare, access to energy and to credit, these are the basics that all communities need to thrive. And the United States seeks to pursue these common aspirations through concrete actions...So we will not focus our energies on one-time projects, but we will seek to work with all of you in government and in civil society to try to build local capacity and empower local organizations and individuals to create sustainable change." Full Text

 

Read Secretary Clinton's Biography