Political Quotes

“there is an ongoing debate in our politics today about the value of leadership around the world in the 21st century. There is a view that seems to be gaining traction and favor--that our international engagement is one-sided, that our allies are free riders, that we contribute too much and get too little in return, and so why should we be involved in the world? These voices exist in both parties, and I would like to answer them today. I want to start by looking back at the last century, when the world emerged from the death and destruction of the Second World War. The United States could have decided after that war to wall ourselves off-- that after the loss of so many of our best and brightest, we had already paid enough for peace. Instead, our country became the driving force behind international order. We forged a series of strong alliances, led with moral clarity, and positioned our military strength strategically around the world. In doing so, the American people benefitted immensely as we helped to stave off the threat of another global conflict and oversaw decades of economic growth and the spread of democracy and freedom around the world. Then, like now, our people benefitted tremendously from our status in the world, even though our engagement was disproportional to that of other nations; in fact, we benefitted precisely because our engagement was disproportional to that of other nations. International engagement has never been a business deal.…”