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Clinton pitches national security strategy

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a news conference in Beijing, May 25, 2010. UPI/Stephen Shaver
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a news conference in Beijing, May 25, 2010. UPI/Stephen Shaver | License Photo

WASHINGTON, May 27 (UPI) -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday the United States must take an integrated approach to its national security.

Clinton, in a speech at The Brookings Institute in Washington, said the United States needs to exercise "smart power" to deal with "new and complicated threats" -- terrorism, nuclear proliferation, climate change, cyber-security and energy security to name a few.

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"We are in a race between the forces of integration and the forces of disintegration, and we see that every day," she said. "We have to balance and integrate all of the elements of our power, starting with the so-called three Ds -- defense, diplomacy and development -- but also including our economic power and the power of our example."

Clinton said she is a big believer in engaging in dialogue with other nations' governments and private sectors to create partnerships.

"I think that deepening our engagement with key countries like Russia, China, India and others gives us a better understanding and also to our counterparts," she said. "It also puts the relationship on a broader framework than just the usual hot spot, crisis, emergency that then marshals everybody's attention."

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She said the Obama administration is giving "adversarial nations" choices through "dual-track approaches" and is looking to "turn a multi-polar world into a multi-partner world."

"I know there is a critique among some that somehow talking this way undercuts American strength, power, leadership," she said. "I could not disagree more. We happen to think a lot of those interests coincide with universal interests, and certainly, our interest in effectuating better outcomes for people around the world."

Clinton said President Barack Obama "is very well aware of the long-term threat that our deficit and debt situation pose to our strength at home and abroad." She later said her personal opinion is "the rich are not paying their fair share in any nation" facing high unemployment.

"So my view is that you have to get many countries to increase their public revenue collections in order to make investments that will make them richer over the long run," Clinton said.

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