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In Focus

The Action Americans Need

February 5, 2009. That's the title of President Obama's op-ed this morning in the Washington Post, where he makes a forceful argument for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.

"What Americans expect from Washington is action that matches the urgency they feel in their daily lives -- action that's swift, bold and wise enough for us to climb out of this crisis," the President writes.

And echoing remarks he made yesterday, he fired back at critics of the stimulus plan:

"In recent days, there have been misguided criticisms of this plan that echo the failed theories that helped lead us into this crisis, the notion that tax cuts alone will solve all our problems; that we can meet our enormous tests with half-steps and piecemeal measures; that we can ignore fundamental challenges such as energy independence and the high cost of health care and still expect our economy and our country to thrive. I reject these theories, and so did the American people when they went to the polls in November and voted resoundingly for change."

Read the full op-ed

U.S. Committed to Transatlantic Alliance

Secretary Clinton (Feb. 5): "[T]he United States is committed to our transatlantic alliance. This is an alliance that is one of the oldest and closest that the United States has in the world. We appreciate France's leadership, especially during its recent EU presidency. ... And I thank you as well, Mr. Minister, for the very broad-based efforts that France has undertaken to address the global financial challenges. Our alliance is rooted in common values, and we have put that alliance to work in support of security, justice, and opportunity."  -Full Text -Video

More from State Department:

February 3, 2009: U.S.-German Relationship: Longstanding and Enduring
January 27, 2009: Secretary Clinton Talks About Foreign Policy and Diplomacy
January 22, 2009: Secretary Clinton Delivers Welcome Address at U.S. Department of State
January 13, 2009: Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Nominee for Secretary of State
January 13, 2009: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing: Hillary Clinton

Current Issues

Nations Pledge Unity in Containing Iran’s Nuclear Challenge

Top diplomats pledge continued unity in efforts to convince Iran to suspend its nuclear program and welcome President Obama’s willingness to engage with Iran. Diplomats from China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany underline their “common commitment to a diplomatic solution” to Iran’s nuclear challenge. More...


U.S.-European Partnership Securing Kosovo’s Future

As Kosovo nears the first anniversary of its independence, America and its European allies remain firmly committed to the new Balkan nation’s success, U.S. diplomat Kyle Scott tells the 56-nation Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. More...


University Partnership Aims to Fight HIV/AIDS More Effectively

A new partnership aims to be an agent for change in improving health outcomes for those afflicted with HIV-related diseases. A collaborative effort between Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, seeks to enhance research and improve health in Uganda and East Africa. More...


Martin Luther King Inspired by 1959 Journey to India

The 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1959 visit to India to study Mahatma Gandhi is being commemorated in February with a State Department–sponsored tour by King’s son, members of Congress and others. King and other civil rights leaders drew on Gandhi’s ideas about nonviolent resistance. More...


Grand Rapids, Michigan: Building Green on Conservative Values

Grand Rapids, Michigan, has become a leader in green building standards and other environmental initiatives. The city has the highest number per capita of buildings that comply with the standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council and plans or builds 50 more. More...


President Obama Delivers Remarks to State Department Employees

Department of State
January 22, 2009

A Balanced Strategy: Reprogramming the Pentagon for a New Age
Robert M. Gates
From Foreign Affairs, January/February 2009

The Pentagon has to do more than modernize its conventional forces; it must also focus on today's unconventional conflicts -- and tomorrow's. full text

Security and Opportunity for the Twenty-first Century
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Foreign Affairs, November/December 2007

Summary:  The next U.S. president will have a moment of opportunity to reintroduce America to the world and restore our leadership. To build a world that is safe, prosperous, and just, we must get out of Iraq, rediscover the value of statesmanship, and live up to the democratic values that are the deepest source of our strength.

Renewing American Leadership
Read Barack Obama's essay outlining his foreign policy agenda.
Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2007

 

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