CNAS Official Launch: Hillary Clinton Keynote Address

The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) held its official launch on June 27, 2007 at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. The day-long event, entitled “Toward a New American Security,” included three expert panels based on recently released CNAS reports as well as keynote addresses by Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE).

Discussions and debates covered the future of U.S. ground forces, a new strategy for the war in Iraq, and the nature of the national security inheritance the next president will receive from the current administration. With more than five hundred guests and distinguished bipartisan panels, the event helped pave the way for the center’s ongoing work in creating strong, pragmatic, and principled defense and security policies for America.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered the luncheon address after an introduction by Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, with a theme of America’s great responsibility given the profound changes and challenges the world is confronting. She spoke of the need to be both internationalist and realistic, and focused on the need for the United States to take a strong diplomatic position in the world and enhance humanitarian efforts. Senator Clinton discussed ideas such as a no-fly zone over Darfur and her proposed legislation for preventing nuclear terrorism. The United States needs first to restore its position of leadership in the world in order to be successful in taking on the difficult challenges it faces and to repair the damage that the current administration has done, she explained. She outlined many of these regional and transnational challenges, from dealing with Iran and beginning to withdraw from Iraq, to keeping open dialogue with China as its domestic growth and international influence increase, to designating a special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Senator Clinton strongly expressed that a new security and foreign policy direction is needed for America.