Hillary Clinton Confirmation Transcript for Secretary of State, January 13, 2009

Hillary Clinton’s Confirmation Hearing Transcript forSecretary of State January 13, 2009Clinton’s prepared statement, clickhere.

KERRY: Well, good morning, everyone. We welcome you all here. We'redelighted to welcome Senator Clinton, secretary of state designate. I think every member of the committee believes very strongly that in SenatorClinton we have a nominee who is extraordinarily capable and smart, anindividual with the global stature and influence to help shape events.She will take office on a first-name basis with numerous heads of state, butalso with billions of people in every corner of the globe, those billions of people that the Obama administration hopes to reach, inspire, andinfluence. Her presence overseas will send a strong signal immediately that America is back.This morning, we look forward to a good, healthy dialogue, and, over thecoming years, we particularly look forward to a strong, close, cooperative, working relationship.This is an historic moment for this committee. For the first time in American history, one of our members will be sworn in as president andanother one as vice president. Before any of the newer members of ourcommittee get too excited about future prospects, let Dick Lugar, ChrisDodd, and myself -- and perhaps even Hillary will join in this -- in sayingtrust us, it ain't automatic.(LAUGHTER)For me, it is a particularly special and personal privilege to be sitting here,having testified before Chairman Fulbright in 1971 and having workedclosely with the chairmen since who have set a strong example for thiscommittee's ability to contribute to our security. And this morning, we should remember one chairman in particular. Last week, Dick Chris, Sheldon, and I attended memorial services for ClaibornePell in Rhode Island. President Clinton, who first met Chairman Pell whenhe was a college student interning on this committee, spoke movingly at thefuneral. And today, I know we all join together in expressing our gratitudefor Chairman Pell's exemplary service. His commitment to bipartisanship

and multilateralism remains the guidepost by which this committee willcontinue its efforts.I'm privileged also to follow in the more recent footsteps of two respectedchairmen and good friends. Vice President-elect Biden and I first ran foroffice together in 1972, and we grew up together in politics. I know Joe andhis family well, as many of the members of this committee do. I value hisfriendship, and the country will come to value the wisdom and strength which he brings to the vice presidency. The committee is grateful for hisleadership.I also have the good fortune as chairman to have beside me as rankingmember the senior-most Republican in the Senate, a Noble Peace Prizenominee for his groundbreaking nonproliferation work and a trusted,thoughtful voice in our national security dialogue.Senator Lugar, I look forward to working with you in the same cooperative way that Senator Biden did and others have in the past, and I know thatthat will characterize the work of this committee as we go forward, and Icould not have a better partner, and I thank you for that.If we do our job correctly, as we begin a new presidency and a new Congress, we stand on the brink of a new era of American diplomacy withgreat potential for significant, if not transformational, steps forward acrossthe globe, and I look forward to working with Secretary Clinton to seize thatpotential.In the last seven years, we have spent the treasure of our nation -- young American soldiers, first and foremost, and billions of dollars -- to fightterrorism, and yet grave questions remain as to whether or not we havechosen our battles correctly, pursued the right strategy, defined the rightgoals.That we are engaged in fighting a global insurgency is beyond doubt, butour task is to define the method and means of our response moreeffectively, and no challenge will be greater in the days ahead than to getthis right.Pakistan and Afghanistan are definitively the front line of our globalcounterterrorism efforts. Having visited several times recently, it is clearthat no amount of additional troops will succeed absent the effectiveinstruments of a functioning state. We face a gargantuan task, and to besuccessful, I believe we must fundamentally redefine our approach.

We went into Afghanistan to deny Al Qaida sanctuary. Our goals must bedefined by our original mission, by the regional security context, and by thetribal decentralized nature of Afghan society. I'm eager to hear SenatorClinton's thoughts on the road ahead in Afghanistan.Nor should anyone believe that Iraq is a completed task. Despite the Statusof Forces Agreement that sets out a schedule for reduction of U.S. forces,Sunni and Shia tensions, the unresolved status of Kirkuk, the distributionof oil revenues, and setbacks to political reconciliation each threaten toupend our fragile progress, and they will require active diplomaticengagement by Secretary of State Clinton and the rest of the Obamaadministration with Iraq's government and particularly with its neighbors.Iraq, as well as Iran, Syria, the West Bank, and Gaza, all require anapproach that recognizes the interconnectedness of each of thesechallenges. We look forward to working with the administration and theSecretary Clinton on a significantly expanded and vigorous diplomaticeffort.In the age of catastrophic terrorism, it is also urgent -- and I know SenatorLugar joins me in expressing this -- urgent that we restore America'sleadership on nonproliferation. Whatever our differences, we mustreengage with Russia on nuclear security, specifically the START Treaty.It is my hope that we will embrace deep reciprocal cuts in our nucleararsenals, and I'm eager to hear Senator Clinton's thoughts on this matter.Consistent with our security needs, I believe we should set a goal of nomore than 1,000 deployed warheads, and that goal should be just the beginning. We should also lay the groundwork for ratification of theComprehensive Test Ban Treaty.The last eight years have resulted in increased suspicion of our motivesabroad, especially in the Muslim world where we must do much more toreduce the prevalent and costly perception of an assault on Islam. It is vitalthat we redouble our efforts to find common ground, including throughinterfaith dialogue.KERRY: We must integrate all of the disparate elements of our nationalpower into a single unified effort, and I agree with Secretary Gates that weneed a State Department with more resources and greater capacity to deal with 21st-century challenges in conflict zones and in weak and failingstates.