New York, NY – In a major policy address at the Council on Foreign Relations, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today called for a reversal of the basic foreign policy principles of the last six years to rely on diplomacy, international institutions and balancing our idealism with realism to reduce American isolation, succeed in the war on terror and deal with Iraq and other increasingly difficult challenges. Senator Clinton outlined three principles that should underlie a new American consensus on national security and form the foundation for meeting the challenges we face.

"Nothing is more urgent than for us to begin building a new bipartisan consensus to ensure our interests, increase our security and advance our values," said Senator Clinton.

Senator Clinton detailed three principles that should guide our foreign policy and discussed how they apply to some of the most difficult challenges we face.

• First, we must renew our internationalism for a new century. Senator Clinton emphasized that we did not face World War II or the Cold War alone and we cannot face the global terrorist threat or other profound challenges alone. She noted that a terrorist cell may recruit in southeast Asia, raise funds in the Middle East and plan attacks in the United States or Europe. We can stop a deadly disease anywhere along the line as it hopscotches from continent to continent or we can wait until it arrives at our doors. Senator Clinton underscored that we cannot turn our back on international institutions. We have to modernize them and where needed create new ones.

• Second, we must value strong diplomacy as well as a strong military. Senator Clinton emphasized that we should not hesitate to engage in the world's most difficult conflicts on the diplomatic front. We cannot leave the Mideast to solve itself or avoid direct talks with North Korea. Direct negotiations are not a sign of weakness. They're a sign of leadership.

• Third, our foreign policy must blend both idealism and realism in the service of American interests. Senator Clinton underscored that we have to debunk the false choice between idealism and realism. The challenges of today's world require a mix of idealism and realism to solve. Each requires building a consensus approach that is accepted by broad coalitions of nations. She noted that we cannot achieve any of them without American leadership, nor can we achieve any of them alone. In an increasingly interdependent world, it is in our interest to promote our values. But reality informs us that we cannot force nations to accept them – we have to support those who embrace them and lead by example.

Senator Clinton emphasized that these principles would force a sea change from the current administration's policies. She noted that if you look at the most dangerous situations we are facing today – Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, the proliferation of deadly weapons, the prosecution of the war on terror – you will see the same mistakes repeated over and over: the mistaken belief that alliances, international institutions, even respect for others' opinions, were irrelevant to America's interests; the mistaken belief that diplomacy even if backed by force was synonymous with weakness; the mistaken belief that our military's experience in war planning, our intelligence community's objective analysis, and our diplomats' experience in negotiations could be dismissed and replaced with ideological wishful thinking; and, in Iraq, the mistake of waging a pre-emptive war based on faulty intelligence, fanciful scenarios and bluster has turned out to be a one time only doctrine with no deterrent effect.

"We need to return to patient diplomacy, backed by military strength and informed by American values," said Senator Clinton.

Senator Clinton described the urgent need to apply these principles to the major national security challenges we face:

• Iraq: Senator Clinton emphasized that we need a fundamental change in course. First, we need to press the Iraqis to get serious about achieving an internal reconciliation and political solution, and present real consequences for failing to do so. Second, we need a public international conference of the parties in the region to make public commitments to Iraq's stability. Third, we should begin a phased redeployment. It is time to insist that the Iraqis to take the lead and demonstrate to the Iraqi people that the U.S. will not be in Iraq permanently.

• Afghanistan: Senator Clinton noted that our failures have squandered much of what our military accomplished. Afghanistan and NATO need us as a leading partner, to help with security, rooting out corruption, finding alternatives to opium and improving the situation with Pakistan.

• Iran: Senator Clinton underscored that U.S. policy must be unequivocal: Iran must not build or acquire nuclear weapons. We should keep all options on the table, including being ready to talk directly to Iranians should the right opportunity present itself.

• North Korea: Senator Clinton noted that we have had six years of a policy with no carrots, no sticks, and only bad results. Now we have fewer options and a much more difficult task. She emphasized that Kim Jong Il needs to hear a single, unified message: choose between nuclear weapons and his interest in aid from South Korea, China, and the international community. He cannot have both.

• Nuclear Non-proliferation: Senator Clinton emphasized that we need to modernize the non-proliferation treaties and related agreements to reflect the new challenges we face. Senator Clinton announced that she will call for joint hearings by the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees on the future of our non-proliferation policy with the aim of creating a new blueprint for our shared security. She also announced that she will introduce legislation based on ideas advanced by Sam Nunn and Ted Turner through the Nuclear Threat Initiative to safeguard weapons-usable materials to prevent terrorist groups from getting hold of nuclear weapons or materials. Senator Clinton's bill also would create a senior White House advisor for countering nuclear terrorism and require a yearly report that would specify every site with nuclear material or weapons in the world, how vulnerable the material is, how desirable a target it would be and what we intend to do about it.

• War on Terror: Senator Clinton underscored that the Administration has failed to transform our national security institutions and asked our military to fulfill missions for which it is not sized, equipped or funded. The administration has failed when it comes to homeland security and failed to complete reform and restore morale in the intelligence community. We don't have nearly enough civilian capacity to manage pre- and post-crisis situations. Senator Clinton underscored that in addition to addressing these challenges, we should, like we did in the Cold War, challenge a generation of universities and students to serve their country by learning the languages and cultures of the societies where our greatest threats are incubating.

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