In this time of great uncertainty in the world, it is not surprising that some Americans want to turn inward and search for ways to separate our own safety and prosperity from that of the international community. That expectation should be a source of pride to Americans – a burden we should not just accept but welcome as an opportunity. It is a remarkable fact that when an emergency arises almost anywhere in the world, many countries think about responding, but only America is expected to. And we’ve done it all with just one penny on the dollar of the federal budget – an incredible bargain for the American people, but also an amount that seems increasingly insufficient to address the global challenges we face. Under President Obama’s leadership, we have secured significant achievements that have made our country safer and improved the lives of millions of people around the world. More than ever, this era requires strong institutions and deft foreign policy to advance our values and interests. Some problems we face are relatively narrow in scope or confined to a particular region, but others – such as those posed by poor governance, climate change, and violent extremism – are global and generational in their demands and require from us both short-term actions and long-term strategies. Over the past eight years, this churning has made the job of shaping world events more complicated and raised complex questions about how governments can successfully perform their most basic functions – from enforcing laws, to providing public services, to enabling our citizens to pursue their dreams with hope and optimism. The world is more prosperous than it has ever been, and yet the split between rich and poor is a rising challenge in almost every country. Non-state actors compete with national governments for influence, while violent extremists have declared war on civilization itself. Technology has brought the world closer, but has also enabled messages of divisiveness and hate to be spread with the click of a button. We live in a world where people can communicate instantly across virtually every border, and yet our ability to understand and respond to that information has not kept pace. But we are confronted today by a globe that is no less dangerous and far more complex – where the power to influence events is broadly dispersed and change is at least as likely to be driven from the bottom as from the top. The stark and bipolar divide of the Cold War that I grew up with has long since disappeared. All over the world, our diplomats work to keep the American people safe, strengthen our global leadership, enhance relations with our foreign counterparts, expand opportunities for our citizens and our businesses, and defend and advance universal values. At the State Department, I have been proud to lead the 70,000 dedicated public servants who spend their days advancing the cause of peace and security. I learned at a young age that the use of force is sometimes necessary, but that diplomatic solutions are almost always preferable – in part because of the unforeseen consequences that military action often entails. The President has rightly said that the most consequential decisions any leader has to make are those related to war and peace. Over the past eight years, President Obama laid a stronger foundation for American leadership in the world – recognizing that our power is rooted not just in our unparalleled military might, but also in our economic vitality and innovation, the depth and breadth of our global relationships, and the strength of our values. The starting point for this Presidency was one of the toughest I have ever seen in my decades of public service.
When President Obama took office in 2009, the United States was engaged in two costly wars, faced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and had a diminished standing with many of our allies and partners around the world.
Near East (northern Africa, Middle East).Counterterrorism & Countering Violent Extremism.Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment.Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.Arms Control and International Security.Alphabetical List of Bureaus and Offices.
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