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Secretary of State Clinton on the Future of European Security
 January 29, 2010. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton outlined a set of principles that guide U.S. foreign and security policies with Europe, and also signaled the “unwavering commitment” of the United States to European security in a speech January 29 in Paris. “European security remains an anchor of U.S. foreign and security policy,” Clinton said. “However, we believe that these common goals are best pursued in the context of existing institutions, such as the OSCE and the NATO-Russia Council, rather than by negotiating new treaties, as Russia has suggested.”
Clinton said part of the U.S. security commitment to Europe is Article 5 of the North Atlantic Charter, which commits its members to the security of any NATO nation attacked by outside powers. “An attack on one is an attack on all,” Clinton said, reiterating that the United States will maintain military forces in Europe to bolster security. remarks in full l Factsheet: Secretary Clinton on European Security
Secretary Clinton at London Conference on Afghanistan
 January 28, 2010. At the International Conference on Afghanistan in London, Secretary Clinton said: “[A]s important as our military mission is, we know that force alone cannot achieve our goals. Last week, I released the U.S. Afghanistan and Pakistan Regional Stabilization Strategy. Its goal is to support Afghan-led efforts to transform and strengthen their own society and ensure their own security... Among the decisions made today was to establish a Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund to support the Government of Afghanistan’s efforts to draw disaffected Taliban back into society so long as they renounce violence, renounce al-Qaida, agree to abide by the laws and constitution of Afghanistan.” remarks in full | your comments
“To start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more”
 January 27, 2010. In his first State of the Union Address, President Obama said: “One year ago, I took office amid two wars, an economy rocked by severe recession, a financial system on the verge of collapse, and a government deeply in debt. Experts from across the political spectrum warned that if we did not act, we might face a second depression. So we acted – immediately and aggressively. And one year later, the worst of the storm has passed. But the devastation remains... So I know the anxieties that are out there right now. They’re not new. These struggles are the reason I ran for President... Because of the steps we took, there are about two million Americans working right now who would otherwise be unemployed... [T]onight, I’m proposing that we take $30 billion of the money Wall Street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat. I am also proposing a new small business tax credit – one that will go to over one million small businesses who hire new workers or raise wages. While we’re at it, let’s also eliminate all capital gains taxes on small business investment; and provide a tax incentive for all businesses, large and small, to invest in new plants and equipment...” remarks in full | Obama will answer
questions on the speech on YouTube
Earthquake in Haiti - Ministerial Preparatory Conference
 January 25, 2010. At the Haiti Ministerial Preparatory Conference in Montreal, Canada, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said: “We know that the extent of this devastation is almost more than any of us can grasp, but day by day, we have to make progress... [A]s we plan for the transition from emergency assistance to long-term investment and reconstruction, it’s imperative that we maintain this spirit of not only cooperation, but coordination...
It’s important that we see ourselves as partners with Haiti – not patrons – that we work intensely together to produce results that can be seen and felt by the Haitians themselves.” More
State.gov: Haiti l America.gov: Earthquake in Haiti l WhiteHouse.gov: The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund
Secretary Clinton on Internet Freedom
January 21, 2010. In a major policy address that was broadcast live online from the Newseum in Washington, D.C., Secretary Clinton said: “Freedom of expression ... is no longer defined solely by whether citizens can go into the town square and criticize their government without fear of retribution. Blogs, emails, social networks, and text messages have opened up new forums for exchanging ideas, and created new targets for censorship. As I speak to you today, government censors somewhere are working furiously to erase my words from the records of history. But history itself has already condemned these tactics. Two months ago, I was in Germany ... The Berlin Wall symbolized a world divided and it defined an entire era. Today, remnants of that wall sit inside this museum where they belong, and the new iconic infrastructure of our age is the internet... Some countries have erected electronic barriers that prevent their people from accessing portions of the world’s networks. They’ve expunged words, names, and phrases from search engine results. They have violated the privacy of citizens who engage in non-violent political speech. These actions contravene the Universal Declaration on Human Rights… Countries or individuals that engage in cyber attacks should face consequences and international condemnation.” speech in full | more on 21st Century Statecraft
More resources: Internet Censorship: Bad for You, Bad for Business | Sec. Clinton Statement on Google Operations in China
After the Failed Christmas Terrorist Attack: President Obama Directs Additional Steps
President Obama discussing the review
January 7, 2010. President Obama discussed the reviews that he ordered after the failed Christmas terrorist attack: “Rather than a failure to collect or share intelligence, this was a failure to connect and understand the intelligence that we already had. That’s why we took swift action in the immediate days following Christmas, including reviewing and updating the terrorist watchlist system and adding more individuals to the "no fly" list, and directing our embassies and consulates to include current visa information in their warnings of individuals with terrorist or suspected terrorist ties. Today, I’m directing a series of additional corrective steps across multiple agencies... [T]hese reforms will improve the intelligence community’s ability to collect, share, integrate, analyze, and act on intelligence swiftly and effectively... But even the best intelligence can’t identify in advance every individual who would do us harm. So we need the security — at our airports, ports, and borders, and through our partnerships with other nations — to prevent terrorists from entering America.” remarks in full | background | previous postings
• eJournal USA: "Countering the Terrorist Mentality"
Attempted Terrorist Attack on Christmas Day
 January 5, 2010. “The information was there,” President Obama said after meeting with members of his national security team, including those from U.S. intelligence, homeland security and law enforcement agencies involved in the security reviews that he ordered after the failed attack on Christmas Day. “[I]ntelligence was not fully analyzed or fully leveraged. That’s not acceptable, and I will not tolerate it... [W]e have to do better — and we will do better.” With respect to transferring detainees from Guantanamo, the President said: “[W]e will close the prison in a manner that keeps the American people safe and secure.” Remarks in full | video | your comment
January 2, 2010. The President discusses the recent attempted act of terrorism on the Christmas day flight to Detroit, and his broader strategy to fight Al Qaeda in his Weekly Address: The Fight Against Al Qaeda.
December 28, 2009. President Obama delivered a statement to the media on the terrorist attack on December 25 and condemns recent violence in Iran against its citizens. The President called the attempted terrorist attack “a serious reminder of the dangers that we face." — “We will continue to use every element of our national power to disrupt, to dismantle, and defeat the violent extremists who threaten us."
Addressing the events that have taken place over the last few days in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the President stated: “The United States joins with the international community in strongly condemning the violent and unjust suppression of innocent Iranian citizens, which has apparently resulted in detentions, injuries and even death." Full Text l Latest Information: Statement by the President on Preliminary Information from his Ongoing Consultation about the Detroit Incident (December 29, 2009)
Department Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano Thanks Passengers who Thwarted Attack on December 25, Warns of Delays
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"I am grateful to the passengers and crew aboard Northwest Flight 253 who reacted quickly and heroically to an incident that could have had tragic results. The Department of Homeland Security immediately put additional screening measures into place-for all domestic and international flights-to ensure the continued safety of the traveling public. We are also working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement on additional security measures, as well as our international partners on enhanced security at airports and on flights. [...]
Passengers flying from international locations to U.S. destinations may notice additional security measures in place. These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere. Due to the busy holiday travel season, both domestic and international travelers should allot extra time for check-in." Statement l TSA Guidance for Passengers on Heightened Security Measures in Place Following Dec. 25 Incident
Another Tremendous Step Forward - Affordable Health Care for All Americans
December 24, 2009. The President congratulated the Senate on its historic vote to pass health insurance reform: “In a historic vote that took place this morning members of the Senate joined their colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass a landmark health insurance reform package -- legislation that brings us toward the end of a nearly century-long struggle to reform America’s health care system. Ever since Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform in 1912, seven Presidents -- Democrats and Republicans alike -- have taken up the cause of reform. […] But with passage of reform bills in both the House and the Senate, we are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the American people.”
The bill will now be discussed by a conference committee, where representatives of the House and Senate will combine the measures. Learn more: HealthReform.gov | WhiteHouse.gov: Health Care
President Obama Calls Climate Change Accord an Important Milestone
 December 19, 2009. President Obama said he worked closely with major world leaders at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen during marathon negotiating sessions to reach “an important milestone” to confront the threat posed by unchecked global warming. The President met with the leaders of Brazil, China, India and South Africa late on December 18 and agreed to set a goal of limiting the rise of the average global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels by 2050. The Copenhagen Accord is a nonbinding agreement that was “recognized” by delegates at the summit on December 19 and did not require unanimous support. It requires that countries specify by February 1, 2010, their pledges for curbing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. More l Remarks by President Obama at the conference (pdf)
On December 17, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told the assembled delegates that the United States would be part of fast-start funding that would provide $30 billion by 2012 to help less-developed nations meet climate-control targets. Remarks l Full Text of Secretary Clinton’s Op-Ed (International Herald Tribune, December 15, 2009)
U.S.'s Official COP-15 Website
Climate change resources
President Barack Obama, Nobel Peace Laureate
 December 10, 2009. In a formal ceremony in Oslo, Norway, President Obama became the 97th individual (along with 23 organizations) to receive the Nobel Prize for Peace. Obama is the fourth U.S. president to receive the award; the others are Theodore Roosevelt (1906), Woodrow Wilson (1919) and Jimmy Carter (1992).
Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations. Official Statement by Committee Chairman Thorbjørn Jagland, December 10, 2009
I receive this honor with deep gratitude and great humility. It is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations – that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice. President Barack Obama, December 10, 2009
U.S. Embassy: Nobel Lecture in German - Part 1 and 2
NobelPrize.org: The Nobel Peace Prize 2009
America.gov: Barack Obama, Nobel Peace Laureate
President Obama outlines strategy on Afghanistan and Pakistan
 December 01, 2009. At the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, President Obama outlined his strategy on Afghanistan and Pakistan: “[W]hile we’ve achieved hard-earned milestones in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated. After escaping across the border into Pakistan in 2001 and 2002, al Qaeda’s leadership established a safe haven there... [O]ur troop levels in Afghanistan remained a fraction of what they were in Iraq... I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home... Because this is an international effort, I’ve asked that our commitment be joined by contributions from our allies. Some have already provided additional troops, and we’re confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead.” speech in full | video and fact sheets
Videos for mobile phones: President Obama and Secretary Clinton’s messages
Presidential Proclamation — Thanksgiving Day
 "The First Thanksgiving, 1621," by J.L.G. Ferris, depicts celebration of a bountiful harvest. (Library of Congress) November 23, 2009. Today, President Obama proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 2009, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. He encouraged “all the people of the United States to come together, whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place where family, friends and neighbors may gather, with gratitude for all we have received in the past year; to express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own; and to share our bounty with others.” President Obama
explained: “What began as a harvest celebration between European settlers and indigenous communities nearly four centuries ago has become our cherished tradition of Thanksgiving. This day’s roots are intertwined with those of our Nation, and its history traces the American narrative.” 2009 Proclamation
Background:
President Obama calls upon North Korea to take “serious steps” on the nuclear issue
 November 19, 2009. On the last stop on his nine-day trip to East Asia President Obama spoke in Seoul about efforts to convince North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program in exchange for “the reduction of sanctions and its increasing integration into the international community.” For North Korea to enjoy reduced international sanctions and greater integration, it must take “serious steps” on the nuclear issue. “We will not be distracted by a whole host of other side items that end up generating a lot of meetings but not concrete action,” Obama said. During his remarks, Obama also discussed the situation in Iran. Over the “next several weeks,” the United States and its partners who are engaged in the dialogue with Iran over its nuclear activities “will be developing a package of potential steps that we could take that will indicate our seriousness to Iran,” he said. more on america.gov
U.S. dismayed at Israel's plans for new settlements
 November 17, 2009. The White House is “dismayed at the Jerusalem Planning Committee’s decision to move forward on the approval process for the expansion of Gilo in Jerusalem.” In an interview with Fox News in China, President Obama repeated that “Israel's security is a vital national interest to the United States, and we will make sure they are secure," adding:
“I think that additional settlement building does not contribute to Israel’s security. I think it makes it harder for them to make peace with their neighbors. I think it embitters the Palestinians in a way that could end up being very dangerous."
• President Obama’s interview with Fox News | video (November 18, 2009)
• White House statement on Jerusalem (November 17, 2009)
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Statement by the Press Secretary on Israeli Settlements (September 4, 2009)
Obama Talks with Chinese Students
 November 16, 2009. Speaking at a town hall meeting ahead of meetings with Chinese leaders in Beijing, Obama said he is “a big believer” in technology and openness and a “big supporter of noncensorship” even though it means that he finds himself the subject of constant criticism. In the United States, “the fact that we have free Internet or unrestricted Internet access is a source of strength,” and the president said open Internet use should be encouraged. There is a price to openness, since extremists can also use the technology to mobilize, but “I think that the good outweighs the bad so much that it’s better to maintain that openness,” he said. more at america.gov
• President Obama's Trip to Asia
• Secretary Clinton’s Travel to Europe and Asia
Moving Beyond History: The Fall of the Berlin Wall
 November 9, 2009. At a meet and greet event with embassy staff and family, Secretary Clinton said in Berlin: “I spend my time going around the world talking with people who are very much at loggerheads over conflicts that happened 100 or 200 or 500 or 1,000 years before. And then you come here, and you think about how horrific the conflicts of the 20th century were, right here in Europe. And tonight, we will have the chancellor of Germany and the president of France and the prime minister of Great Britain, because they are leading a Europe that understands how imperative it is to move beyond the history that we have all lived.” Full Text | photo gallery
• Earlier on Monday Secretary Clinton had met with Chancellor Merkel: video
• Clinton remarks at the Festival of Freedom | ZDF video | ARD interview | Spiegel | more interviews
• President Obama’s video message
• Travel Diary: A Berliner Reflects on the Moment When the Wall Came Down
Clinton at Freedom’s Challenge Awards: "There is no wall we cannot topple"
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addresses the Atlantic Council
November 8, 2009. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Atlantic Council hosted the “Freedom’s Challenge: A Gala Banquet and Awards Ceremony” at the Adlon Hotel in Berlin. In her keynote speech U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said: “We need to form an even stronger partnership to bring down the walls of the 21st century, and to confront those who hide behind them: the suicide bombers; those who murder and maim girls whose only wish is to go to school; leaders who choose their own fortunes over the fortunes of their people. In place of these new walls, we must renew the Transatlantic Alliance as a cornerstone of a global architecture of cooperation.” Before, Ambassador Murphy had presented the award to Minister Westerwelle. In his remarks Ambassador Murphy pointed out that Westerwelle is an alumn of the IV program. Atlantic Council | Clinton's speech (pdf) | photo gallery
Media reaction
• “Der US-Rückblick auf 1989 mit Hillary Clinton fällt nach Stil und Inhalt etwas anders aus als die meisten deutschen Einheitsfeiern”
Westerwelle in Washington
November 6, 2009. After her meeting with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Secretary Clinton said in Washington: “For Americans, our relationship with Germany is rooted in our commitment to freedom and democracy. And certainly, the new government that the minister represents exemplifies that. This time is a reminder of the values that we share and that we will use to chart a new future together: democracy, tolerance, human rights, the pursuit of a peaceful and prosperous future for our people and for all people.” Full Text | German MFA
See also: Chancellor Merkel’s speech before the U.S. Congress
U.S. Position on Israeli Settlements
November 4, 2009. After her meeting with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Secretary Clinton said in Cairo: “Our policy on settlements has not changed. And I want to say it again: our policy on settlement activity has not changed. We do not accept the legitimacy of settlement activity. And we have a very firm belief that ending all settlement activity, current and future, would be preferable, and that is what we have put forth, and that is what we have continued to support. What we have received from the Israelis to halt all new settlement activity – and I’ll repeat that again, too – to halt all new settlement activities and to end the expropriation of land, and to issue no permits or approvals, is unprecedented.” Full Text
See also: President Obama’s speech in Cairo
Chancellor Merkel Addresses Joint Session of Congress
 November 03, 2009. Senators and Representatives attended a Joint Meeting of Congress “to receive Her Excellency, Doctor Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.” The U.S. Ambassador to Germany, Phil Murphy, was also present. German TV broadcast the speech live. Before her speech, President Obama met with the chancellor. remarks by the President | senate.gov | Text of Merkel's speech |  C-SPAN video | timeline (pdf)
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