On March 1, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton testified before the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Secretary gave an update of her recent trip to Geneva, then she discussed the FY 2012 budget.
Secretary Clinton said, "The American people are justifiably concerned about our national debt. I share that concern. But they also want responsible investments in our future that will make us stronger at home and continuing our leadership abroad. Just two years after President Obama and I first asked you to renew our investment in development and diplomacy, we are already seeing tangible returns for our national security."
She continued, "In Iraq, almost 100,000 troops have come home, and civilians are poised to keep the peace. In Afghanistan, integrated military and civilian surges have helped set the stage for… more »
As the United States and China continue to build stronger government-to-government ties, there is a growing awareness in both countries that increased cooperation at the subnational level will strengthen our bilateral relationship and benefit both our countries. The United States and China are taking steps to broaden and deepen bilateral relations by assisting U.S. and Chinese subnational leaders in expanding their own relationships. From February 25-28, Hunan Province Party Secretary Zhou Qiang visited Washington, DC to attend the National Governors Association… more »
About the Authors: William Pryor serves as Senior Rule of Law Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, and William Strassberger serves as Public Affairs Chief in the Bureau of African Affairs.
2011 is going to be a big year for the Peace Corps as the agency marks its 50th anniversary with celebrations around the United States and at locations… more »
About the Author: Robert Sauers serves with USAID in Afghanistan.
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the executive order that created the Peace Corps, one of the world's most respected development agencies. To honor the volunteers and their commitment to helping individuals build a better life for themselves, their children,… more »
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered remarks at the Conference on Disarmament at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 28, 2011.
Secretary Clinton said, "Nearly 20 years after the end of the Cold War, the world has more than 20,000 nuclear weapons. As I speak to you today, centrifuges around the world are spinning out more enriched uranium, a still significant amount of it to weapons grade. Plutonium is being churned out in reactors and separated from spent fuel in reprocessing plants. The world faces no shortage of ingredients for nuclear bombs. Yet more fissile materials are made every… more »
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered remarks at the high-level segment of the 16th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 28, 2011. The Secretary discussed the situation in Libya, as well as events and trends in the broader Middle East.
Secretary Clinton said, "Today the world's eyes are fixed on Libya. We have seen Colonel Qadhafi's security forces open fire on peaceful protestors again… more »
About the Author: Luke Forgerson serves as DipNote's Managing Editor.
Last week, President Barack Obama addressed the situation in Libya. The President said, "...Like all governments, the Libyan government has a responsibility to refrain from violence, to allow humanitarian assistance to reach those in need, and to respect the rights of its people. It must be held accountable for its failure to meet those responsibilities, and face the cost of continued violations of human rights.
"This is not simply a concern of the United States. The entire world is watching, and we will coordinate our assistance and accountability measures with the international community."
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton travels to Geneva, Switzerland on February 27 to 28. While in Geneva, she will hold consultations with her counterparts on the situation in Libya, and events and trends in the broader Middle East. She will also address the high-level segment of the 16th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Before departing for Geneva, Secretary Clinton spoke with members of the press. The Secretary said, "Let me start by saying as strongly as I can that the United States and the American people support the aspirations… more »
William Aossey, Chief Executive Officer of Midamar Corporation, a company based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, completed a one week visit to Afghanistan to investigate potential trade and investment opportunities in mulberry fruit juice production in Panjsher Province and dehydrated potato flake production and processing in Bamyan Province. Aossey's visit to Afghanistan was facilitated by USAID officials in Kabul, the USAID-funded Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA), and Provincial Reconstruction Teams.
Minister Noorullah Delawari, the Chief Executive Officer of AISA, said, "Afghanistan is fertile ground for investors especially in the agribusiness sector. We are very pleased to have welcomed Aossey… more »
On February 23, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton participated in an online dialogue with Dr. Ahmed Ghanim of Egypt's Masrawy.com. During two days, the Egyptian people submitted more than 6,500 questions through Facebook, Twitter, and Masrawy.com for the Secretary.
Dr. Ghanim asked Secretary Clinton the first question from May Ahmed, a 25 year-old Egyptian woman. Ahmed asked, "...What is the purpose of this dialogue, actually this social media dialogue with Egyptian youth? And after you communicate with us to better understand what we are looking for, do you think that this interaction will help change the American policies toward Egypt?"
Secretary Clinton responded, "Well, first, let me thank her and the more than 6,500 other Egyptians who have sent questions, the vast… more »
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Assistant Secretary Campbell (Mar. 1): âThe primary strategic objective for U.S. engagement in the Asia-Pacific region is to promote a peaceful and stable security environment that advances the interests of the U.S., our allies, and partners in the region. more »
Ambassador Bosworth (Mar. 1): âNorth Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile program and proliferation activity pose an acute threat to a region of enormous economic vitality as well as to our global nonproliferation efforts.â more »