Obama Names Hillary Sec. Of State

As highly expected, US President-elect Barack Obama has named former rival Hillary Clinton to the position of Secretary of State in his upcoming cabinet.

An extended and often bitter primary campaign, and concerns over the direction an Obama Administration will take in the Middle East, brings a heightened interest in the pick of Senator Clinton for America’s top diplomat. Obama reportedly will pursue an ambitious Middle East peace plan that involves Arab countries recognizing Israel in exchange for the Jewish state moving back to its pre-1967 borders, and has already pledged the continuation of a two-state solution to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Senator Clinton, who famously said she would “obliterate” Iran if the rogue nation attempted to attack Israel, was roundly criticized by Obama as being too “hawkish” during the campaign. “Barack Obama doesn’t need lectures in political courage from someone who followed George Bush to war in Iraq,” the campaign said in a December 2007 statement.

None of the acrimony felt over the last two years was on show Monday as Obama welcomed Clinton aboard. “During campaigns or during the course of election season, differences get magnified,” Obama said. “I did not ask for assurances from these individuals that they would agree with me at all times. I think they understand and would not be joining this team unless they understood and were prepared to carry out the decisions that have been made by me after full discussion.”

“She [Hillary Clinton] is an American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence, who knows many of the world’s leaders, who will command respect in every capital, and who will clearly have the ability to advance our interests around the world,” Obama said.

Hillary Clinton brings her own hope to the Obama Administration, in the form of the good will foreign leaders remember from the Clinton days. “When world leaders meet with a secretary of state, they want to believe they’re dealing with a heavy — a person of substance who matters politically. She’s got that,” said Robert Lieber, professor of government and international affairs at Georgetown University. Clinton also comes with the backing of key Republican leaders and Nixon-era Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

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