State Department Personnel Announcement - Jan 22, 2009

Transcript Text

  • SEC. CLINTON

    At 01:17
    5 minutes

    Thank you. Thank you very much and welcome to the
    State Department. Please be seated.
    We are delighted to be joined this afternoon by President Obama
    and Vice President Biden for this very important announcement. But it
    is also absolutely a delight to have the president and the vice
    president here with us today.
    It is an indication of the president's commitment to a foreign
    policy that protects our national security and advances our interests
    and is in keeping with our values.
    So we, Mr. President, take great heart from the confidence that
    you have placed in us. Today, we start the hard work, to restore our
    standing and enable our country to meet the vexing new challenges of
    the 21st century but also to seize the opportunities that await us.
    The president is committed to making diplomacy and development
    the partners in our foreign policy along with defense. And we must be
    smarter about how we exercise our power. But as I said this morning,
    upon entering the building, the heart of smart power are smart people.
    And Mr. President, we have them in abundance here in the State
    Department, USAID and our related agencies.
    Today, you will see an example of the kind of robust diplomacy
    that the president intends to pursue and that I'm honored to help him
    fulfill. Nowhere is there a need for a vigorous diplomatic approach
    more apparent than in the two regions that epitomize the nuance and
    complexity of our interconnected world.
    Many of you in this building, many of your Foreign Service and
    Civil Service and foreign national colleagues, have been engaged on
    behalf of issues related to the Middle East and to Afghanistan and
    Pakistan for years; sometimes, as we know, at great peril and personal
    sacrifice.
    That work has been invaluable and it will continue to be the
    underpinning of everything our government does to achieve peace and
    stability in these regions.
    At the same time, we know that anything short of relentless
    diplomatic efforts will fail to produce a lasting, sustainable peace
    in either place. That is why the president and I have decided to name
    a special envoy for Middle East peace and a special representative for
    Afghanistan and Pakistan. Given the magnitude of the issues
    confronting us, we will bolster the excellent work that is done daily
    here as well as in our embassies and outposts around the world and
    particularly in these two regions by an intensive push undertaken
    through the efforts of these two seasoned diplomats.
    Mr. President, by coming here to the State Department and through
    your announcement today of these two positions, you are, through word
    and deed, sending a loud and clear signal that diplomacy is a top
    priority of your presidency and that our nation is once again capable
    of demonstrating global leadership in pursuit of progress and peace.
    We are honored to have you join us on only the second day in office.
    We are grateful to you for highlighting these urgent issues and the
    collaboration needed to address two of the biggest foreign policy
    challenges of our time.
    I know that everyone here at State and in our various embassies
    and consulates and other outposts throughout the world look forward to
    working closely with these two exceptional public servants as we
    strive to protect and advance America's interests and find a path to
    peace and greater harmony in these vital areas of the world.
    I am pleased now to introduce someone who is no stranger to this
    department, who has been a friend and partner as a senator, as the
    chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and now as our vice
    president.
    There are few people who have been so devoted to promoting diplomacy
    and development as our guest, Vice President Joe Biden. (Applause.)

  • VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN

    At 06:22
    2 minutes

    Thank you very much.
    Madame Secretary, let me begin by saying congratulations. It was
    a bright day for the whole department and the Foreign Service when you
    walked through that door. And so, congratulations to you.
    Mr. President, your choice of our colleague, Senator Clinton
    (sic), is absolutely the right person, in my view, at the right moment
    in American history.
    We've come here today to the State Department to send a very
    clear message, a clear message at home as well as abroad, that we are
    going to reinvigorate America's commitment to diplomacy. This effort
    will be led by Secretary Clinton. I believe -- as I know you do, Mr.
    President, because you chose her -- that she has the knowledge, the
    skill, the experience, as well as that sort of intangible commodity of
    having personal relationships with many of these world leaders, which
    makes her uniquely -- in my view, uniquely qualified to put diplomacy
    back in the forefront of America's foreign policy.
    For too long we put the bulk of the burden, in my view, on our
    military. That's a view not only shared by me, but by your secretary
    of Defense, as well. And our military is absolutely -- to state the
    obvious -- absolutely necessary, but not sufficient -- not sufficient
    to secure the interests of this great nation.
    In a moment, Mr. President, you're going to announce two new
    powerful weapons in our -- I guess the secretary is going to announce
    two very powerful weapons in our diplomatic arsenal. They've faced
    and helped resolve equally challenging issues to the ones they face
    today in their -- throughout their careers, from the Balkans to
    Northern Ireland. Both -- both -- are outstanding public servants.
    And both are very -- with all full disclosure, Mr. President -- very
    old and close friends.
    Mr. President, if you'll permit me, I'd like to thank them. I'd
    like to thank them for their willingness to come back into government
    to take on two of the most vexing international dilemmas that we face.
    And it requires their incredible capacity.
    And so I compliment the secretary on her recommendations, and
    your choices. And I look forward to -- with following you, Mr.
    President, to reinvigorate diplomacy in the world.
    It is the key, ultimately, to our security.
    I thank you. (Applause.)

  • SEC. CLINTON

    At 09:03
    2 minutes

    The president and I feel very grateful for the
    willingness of both of these extraordinary Americans to serve. And it
    is also fitting to thank their families. Both Mrs. Mitchell --
    Heather is here, and Katia (ph), Richard Holbrooke's wife, is here,
    along with other family members. These are very difficult
    assignments. They are disruptive of settled and successful lives.
    And we thank them for taking on these responsibilities.
    It's my great honor to introduce the man who the president and I
    have asked to be the special envoy for Middle East peace. He will
    lead our efforts to reinvigorate the process for achieving peace
    between Israel and its neighbors. He will help us to develop an
    integrated strategy that defends the security of Israel, works to
    bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will result in
    two states living side by side in peace and security, and to achieve
    further agreements to promote peace and security between Israel and
    its Arab neighbors.
    Senator Mitchell will also work to support the objectives that
    the president and I believe are critical and pressing in Gaza, to
    develop a program for humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction,
    working with the Palestinian Authority and Israel on behalf of those
    objectives.
    It is a great personal pleasure to introduce George Mitchell, a
    man who is well-known inside this department and across Washington and
    America, who has been willing to accept this important assignment.
    (Applause.)

  • MR. MITCHELL

    At 11:23
    5 minutes

    Mr. President, Madame Secretary, I'm grateful to
    you for your kind words and for the confidence that you show in me and
    in Ambassador Holbrooke. It's a great honor for me to be able to
    serve our country again, and especially to do so with my friend and
    distinguished colleague Richard Holbrooke.
    I don't underestimate the difficulty of this assignment. The
    situation in the Middle East is volatile, complex and dangerous. But
    the president and the secretary of State have made it clear that
    danger and difficulty cannot cause the United States to turn away. To
    the contrary: They recognize and have said that peace and stability
    in the Middle East are in our national interest. They are, of course,
    also in the interest of Israelis and Palestinians, of others in the
    region and people throughout the world.
    The secretary mentioned Northern Ireland.
    There, recently, long-
    time enemies came together to form a power-sharing government to bring
    to an end the ancient conflict known as The Troubles. This was almost
    800 years after Britain began its domination of Ireland, 86 years
    after the partition of Ireland, 38 years after the British Army
    formally began its most recent mission in Ireland, 11 years after the
    peace talks began and nine years after a peace agreement was signed.
    In the negotiations which led to that agreement, we had 700 days
    of failure and one day of success. For most of the time, progress was
    nonexistent or very slow. So I understand the feelings of those who
    may be discouraged about the Middle East.
    As an aside, just recently I spoke in Jerusalem and I mentioned
    the 800 years.
    And afterward, an elderly gentleman came up to me and he said, "Did
    you say 800 years?" I said, "Yes, 800." He repeated the number
    again. I repeated it again. He said, "Ah, such a recent argument.
    No wonder you settled it." (Laughter.)
    But 800 years may be recent, but from my experience there, I
    formed a conviction that there is no such thing as a conflict that
    can't be ended. Conflicts are created, conducted and sustained by
    human beings. They can be ended by human beings. I saw it happen in
    Northern Ireland, although admittedly it took a very long time. I
    believe deeply that with committed, persevering and patient diplomacy
    it can happen in the Middle East.
    There are, of course, many, many reasons to be skeptical about
    the prospect for success. The conflict has gone on for so long and
    has had such destructive effects that many have come to regard it as
    unchangeable and inevitable.
    But the president and the secretary of State don't believe that.
    They believe, as I do, that the pursuit of peace is so important that
    it demands our maximum effort no matter the difficulties, no matter
    the setbacks. The key is the mutual commitment of the parties and the
    active participation of the United States government, led by the
    president and the secretary of State, with the support and assistance
    of the many other governments and institutions who want to help.
    The secretary of State has just talked about our long-term
    objective and the president himself has said that his administration,
    and I quote, "will make a sustained push, working with Israelis and
    Palestinians, to achieve the goal of two states, a Jewish state in
    Israel and a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and
    security." This effort must be determined, persevering and patient.
    It must be backed up by political capital, economic resources and
    focused attention at the highest levels of our government.
    And it must be firmly rooted in a shared vision of a peaceful future
    by the people who live in the region.
    At the direction of the president and the secretary of State, and
    in pursuit of the president's policies, I pledge my full effort in the
    search for peace and stability in the Middle East.
    Thank you. (Applause.)

  • SEC. CLINTON

    At 16:59
    1 minute

    Thank you very much, Senator Mitchell.
    I next have the great personal pleasure of introducing the
    special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ambassador
    Holbrooke will coordinate across the entire government an effort to
    achieve United States strategic goals in the region. This effort will
    be closely coordinated not only within the State Department and of
    course with USAID, but also with the Defense Department and under the
    coordination of the National Security Council.
    It has become clear that dealing with the situation in
    Afghanistan requires an integrated strategy that works with both
    Afghanistan and Pakistan as a whole, as well as engaging NATO and
    other key friends, allies and those around the world who are
    interested in supporting these efforts.
    It is such a great decision on the part of the ambassador to
    respond to the call that the president and I sent out asking that he
    again enter public service and take on this very challenging
    assignment. And we are grateful that he has.
    Ambassador Holbrooke.
    (Applause.)

  • MR. HOLBROOKE

    At 18:27
    5 minutes

    Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, Madame
    Secretary, Senator, Special Envoy Mitchell, I thank you so much.
    It's an extraordinarily moving thing for me to return to this
    building again, having entered it so many years ago as a junior
    Foreign Service officer.
    As somebody whose career was determined in that initial decade of my
    life in the Foreign Service, I want to tell you, Mr. President, that I
    know that the Foreign Service and the Civil Service and the Foreign
    Service officers serving around the world will appreciate and remember
    the fact that you chose to come to the department on your second day
    to demonstrate what you have with this fantastic team. And, if I may,
    on behalf of all Foreign Service officers, active and retired, I want
    to thank you so much. (Applause.)
    I'm also honored by the presence of two good and close friends,
    Vice President Biden and, of course, my boss -- immediate boss,
    Secretary Clinton, and to share the podium with a colleague from the
    Irish days and many Senate events, Senator George Mitchell.
    I thank you for your confidence in offering me this daunting
    assignment. And all I can do is pledge my best to undertake it. I
    see -- thinking of my early years in the Foreign Service, I see my
    former roommate in Saigon, John Negroponte here. We remember those
    days well, and I hope we will produce a better outcome this time.
    (Laughter.)
    I also have to thank Kati (ph), my two sons, David and Anthony,
    my stepdaughter -- my beloved stepdaughter Lizzie and her fiance
    David, especially, for coming down here today. And I hope that I'll
    be able to see you some time in the next few years. (Laughter.)
    Mr. President, Madame Secretary, Mr. Vice President, you've asked
    me to deal with Afghanistan and Pakistan, two very distinct countries
    with extraordinarily different histories, and yet intertwined by
    geography, ethnicity and the current drama. This is a very difficult
    assignment, as we all know. Nobody can say the war in Afghanistan has
    gone well, and yet, as we speak here today, American men and women and
    their coalition partners are fighting a very difficult struggle
    against a ruthless and determined enemy without any scruples at all,
    an enemy that is willing to behead women who dare to teach in a school
    to young girls, an enemy that has done some of the most odious things
    on Earth.
    And across the border lurks the greater enemy still, the people who
    committed the atrocities of September 11th, 2001.
    We know what our long-term objective is. I hope I will be able
    to fill out the mandate which Secretary Clinton has mentioned, to help
    coordinate a clearly chaotic foreign assistance program, which must be
    pulled together, to work closely with General Petraeus, CENTCOM,
    Admiral Mullen and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General McKiernan and
    the command in Afghanistan, to create a more coherent program. If our
    resources are mobilized and coordinated and pulled together, we can
    quadruple, quintuple, multiply by 10-fold the effectiveness of our
    efforts there.
    In Pakistan, the situation is infinitely complex, and I don't
    think I would advance our goals if I tried to discuss it today. I
    wish to get out to the region and report back to the secretary, the
    vice president and the president.
    But I will say that in putting Afghanistan and Pakistan together
    under one envoy, we should underscore that we fully respect the fact
    that Pakistan has its own history, its own traditions, and it is far
    more than the turbulent, dangerous tribal areas on its western border.
    And we will respect that as we seek to follow suggestions that have
    been made by all three of the men stand -- and women standing behind
    me in the last few years on having a more comprehensive policy.
    So I thank you again for your confidence in me. I look forward
    to working for you, with you, closely, and following a joint effort to
    do better than we have in the past.
    Thank you very much. (Applause.)

  • SEC. CLINTON

    At 23:37
    1 minute

    Well, we are not only honored and delighted, but
    challenged, by the president coming here on the second day.
    (Laughter.) This puts the pressure on everybody.
    (Laughter.) And yet, Mr. President, we feel up to that challenge. We
    want to do our very best work in furtherance of your goals.
    You set a high standard in your inaugural address as to what we
    are aiming toward. And I pledge to you, on behalf of the thousands
    and thousands of dedicated public servants who serve you on behalf of
    diplomacy and development, that we will give you our very best
    efforts. It is an honor to be working to fulfill the goals that you
    have set for our country.
    Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States.
    (Applause.)

  • PRESIDENT OBAMA

    At 24:43
    19 minutes

    Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause
    continues.) Thank you. Thank you so much. Please, everybody, thank
    you. Be seated.
    Thank you so much. It is my privilege to come here and to pay
    tribute to all of you, the talented men and women of the State
    Department. I've given you an early gift: Hillary Clinton.
    (Laughter, applause.) You -- in her, you will have a secretary of
    State who has my full confidence. And I want to thank Chairman Kerry
    in the Senate for acting swiftly to confirm her, because we have no
    time to lose.
    My appearance today, as has been noted, underscores my commitment
    to the importance of diplomacy in renewing American leadership and it
    gives me an opportunity to thank you for the services that you perform
    every single day. You know, sometimes I think the American public
    doesn't fully understand the sacrifices that you and your families
    make, the dedication that is involved in you carrying on your tasks
    day in, day out.
    And I know I speak for Joe Biden as well as everybody else on
    this stage when we tell you that we are proud of you. You are
    carrying on a vital task in the safety and security of the American
    people. And part of what we want to do is to make sure that everybody
    understands that the State Department is going to be absolutely
    critical to our success in the years to come and you, individually,
    are going to be critical to our success in the years to come.
    And we want to send a signal to all kinds of young people, who may be
    thinking about the Foreign Service, that they are going to be critical
    in terms of projecting not just America's power but also America's
    values and America's ideals.
    The inheritance of our young century demands a new era of
    American leadership. We must recognize that America's strength comes
    not just from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth but
    from our enduring values. And for the sake of our national security
    and the common aspirations of people around the globe, this era has to
    begin now.
    This morning, I signed three executive orders. First, I can say
    without exception or equivocation that the United States will not
    torture. (Applause.) Second, we will close the Guantanamo Bay
    detention camp and determine how to deal with those who have been held
    there. And third, we will immediately undertake a comprehensive
    review, to determine how to hold and try terrorism suspects to best
    protect our nation and the rule of law.
    The world needs to understand that America will be unyielding in
    its defense of its security and relentless in its pursuit of those who
    would carry out terrorism or threaten the United States. And that's
    why in this twilight struggle, we need a durable framework.
    The orders that I signed today should send an unmistakable signal
    that our actions, in defense of liberty, will be just as our costs and
    that we the people will uphold our fundamental values as vigilantly as
    we protect our security.
    Once again America's moral example must be the bedrock and the
    beacon of our global leadership. We are confronted by extraordinary,
    complex and interconnected global challenges: war on terror, sectarian
    division and the spread of deadly technology. We did not ask for the
    burden that history has asked us to bear, but Americans will bear it.
    We must bear it.
    Progress will not come quickly or easily, nor can we promise to
    right every single wrong around the world. But we can pledge to use
    all elements of American power to protect our people and to promote
    our interests and ideals, starting with principled, focused and
    sustained American diplomacy.
    To carry forward that effort, we are going to be calling on your
    hard work and perseverance in the months and years to come.
    Given the urgency and complexity of the challenges we face and to
    convey our seriousness of purpose, Secretary Clinton and I are also
    calling upon the two distinguished Americans standing with us today.
    It will be the policy of my administration to actively and
    aggressively seek a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians,
    as well as Israel and its Arab neighbors. To help us pursue these
    goals, Secretary Clinton and I have asked George Mitchell to serve as
    special envoy for Middle East peace.
    George is renowned in this country and around the world for his
    negotiating skill. He brings international stature and a lifetime of
    service. His years in the Senate were marked by strong leadership and
    bipartisan achievement. His efforts on behalf of peace in Northern
    Ireland were indispensable in reconciling a painful and protracted
    conflict. Time and again, in public service and private life, he has
    acted with skill and acted with integrity. He will be fully empowered
    at the negotiating table and he will sustain our focus on the goal of
    peace.
    No one doubts the difficulty of the road ahead. And George
    outlined some of those difficulties. The tragic violence in Gaza and
    southern Israel offers a sobering reminder of the challenges at hand
    and the setbacks that will inevitably come. It must also instill in
    us, though, a sense of urgency, as history shows us that strong and
    sustained American engagement can bridge divides and build the
    capacity that supports progress. And that is why we will be sending
    George to the region as soon as possible to help the parties ensure
    that the cease-fire that has been achieved is made durable and
    sustainable.
    Let me be clear: America is committed to Israel's security. And
    we will always support Israel's right to defend itself against
    legitimate threats. For years, Hamas has launched thousands of
    rockets at innocent Israeli citizens. No democracy can tolerate such
    danger to its people, nor should the international community, and
    neither should the Palestinian people themselves, whose interests are
    only set back by acts of terror.
    To be a genuine party to peace, the Quartet has made it clear that
    Hamas must meet clear conditions: recognize Israel's right to exist,
    renounce violence and abide by past agreements.
    Going forward, the outline for a durable cease-fire is clear.
    Hamas must end its rocket fire. Israel will complete the withdrawal
    of its forces from Gaza.
    The United States and our partners will support a credible anti-
    smuggling and interdiction regime, so that Hamas cannot rearm.
    Yesterday I spoke to President Mubarak and expressed my appreciation
    for the important role that Egypt played in achieving a cease-fire.
    And we look forward to Egypt's continued leadership and partnership in
    laying a foundation for a broader peace through a commitment to end
    smuggling from within its borders.
    Now, just as the terror of rocket fire aimed at innocent Israelis
    is intolerable, so too is a future without hope for the Palestinians.
    I was deeply concerned by the loss of Palestinian and Israeli life in
    recent days, and by the substantial suffering and humanitarian needs
    in Gaza. Our hearts go out to Palestinian civilians who are in need
    of immediate food, clean water and basic medical care, and who've
    faced suffocating poverty for far too long.
    Now we must extend a hand of opportunity to those who seek peace.
    As part of a lasting cease-fire, Gaza's border crossings should be
    open to allow the flow of aid and commerce, with an appropriate
    monitoring regime with the international and Palestinian Authority
    participating. Relief efforts must be able to reach innocent
    Palestinians who depend on them.
    The United States will fully support an international donors
    conference to seek short-term humanitarian assistance and long-term
    reconstruction for the Palestinian economy. This assistance will be
    provided to, and guided by, the Palestinian Authority.
    Lasting peace requires more than a long cease-fire. And that's
    why I will sustain an active commitment to seek two states living
    side-by-side in peace and security. Senator Mitchell will carry
    forward this commitment, as well as the effort to help Israel reach a
    broader peace with the Arab world that recognizes its rightful place
    in the community of nations.
    I should add that the Arab Peace Initiative contains constructive
    elements that could help advance these efforts. Now -- now is the
    time for Arab states to act on the initiative's promise, by supporting
    the Palestinian government under President Abbas and Prime Minister
    Fayyad, taking steps towards normalizing relations with Israel and by
    standing up to extremism that threatens us all.
    Jordan's constructive role in training Palestinian security forces and
    nurturing its relations with Israel provide a model for these efforts.
    In going forward, we must make it clear to all countries in the
    region that external support for terrorist organizations must stop.
    Another urgent threat to global security is the deteriorating
    situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is the central front in
    our enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism. There, as in
    the Middle East, we must understand that we cannot deal with our
    problem in isolation. There is no answer in Afghanistan that does not
    confront the al Qaeda and Taliban bases along the border. And there
    will be no lasting peace unless we expand spheres of opportunity for
    the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
    This is truly an international challenge of the highest order.
    And that's why Secretary Clinton and I are naming Ambassador Richard
    Holbrooke to be special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
    Ambassador Holbrooke is one of the most talented diplomats of his
    generation. Over several decades, he's served on different continents
    and as an outstanding ambassador to the United Nations. He has
    strengthened ties with our allies, tackled the toughest negotiations
    and helped deliver a hard-earned peace as an architect of the Dayton
    Accords. He will help lead our effort to forge and implement a
    strategic and a sustainable approach to this critical region.
    The American people and the international community must
    understand that the situation is perilous and progress will take time.
    Violence is up dramatically in Afghanistan. A deadly insurgency has
    taken deep root. The opium trade is far and away the largest in the
    world. The Afghan government has been unable to deliver basic
    services. Al Qaeda and the Taliban strike from bases embedded in
    rugged tribal terrain along the Pakistani border. And while we have
    yet to see another attack on our soil since 9/11, al Qaeda terrorists
    remain at large and remain plotting.
    Going forward, we must set clear priorities in pursuit of
    achievable goals that contribute to our collective security. My
    administration is committed to refocusing attention and resources on
    Afghanistan and Pakistan and to spending those resources wisely. And
    that's why we are pursuing a careful review of our policy. We will
    seek stronger partnerships with the governments of the region,
    sustained cooperation with our NATO allies, deeper engagement with the
    Afghan and Pakistani people and a comprehensive strategy to combat
    terror and extremism.
    We will provide the strategic guidance to meet our objectives.
    And we pledge to support the extraordinary Americans serving in
    Afghanistan, both military and civilian, with the resources that they
    need.
    Now, these appointments add to a team that will work with energy
    and purpose to meet the challenges of our time and to define a future
    of expanding security and opportunity.
    Difficult days lie ahead. As we ask more of ourselves, we will
    seek new partnerships and ask more of our friends and more of people
    around the globe, because security in the 21st century is shared. But
    let there be no doubt about America's commitment to lead. We can no
    longer afford drift, and we can no longer afford delay, nor can we
    cede ground to those who seek destruction.
    A new era of American leadership is at hand, and the hard work
    has just begun. You are going to be at the front lines of engaging in
    that important work. And I'm absolutely confident that with the
    leadership of Secretary Clinton, with wonderful envoys like Richard
    Holbrooke and George Mitchell, with the dedicated team that is before
    me today, that we are going to be able to accomplish our objectives,
    keep America safe, and bring better days not just to our own country
    but all around the world.
    Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.)