Clinton Links US Diplomacy to Jobs

The US Congress is on a cost-cutting drive, and foreign aid is in line for the chopping block, a move deeply worrying to the leader of American diplomacy. Investing in diplomacy builds connections, opens new markets for US companies and creates jobs for Americans, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton contended in a speech to the Global Leadership Coalition, a group of businesses and nonprofits that support international engagement. Clinton pointed out that the State Department accounts for 1 percent of the US budget. “Clinton said the United States faced increasing competition from fast-developing economies such as China, India and Brazil,” reports Daniel Lippman of McClatchy Newspapers. “She cautioned against Americans losing interest in global affairs, which she said would have detrimental effects on U.S. interests abroad.” US embassies push back against protectionist moves in other nations, and 1000 economic officers scout for overseas opportunities. An economic downturn is not the time for cutting connections. – Yale Global