Political Quotes

“there is growing recognition in the United States, and around the world, that corruption is a serious threat to international security and stability. We have all seen the headlines-- from scandals in Brazil and Malaysia, to the doping by Russian athletes and their subsequent ban from the Summer Olympics, to the Panama Papers. It is becoming clear that where there are high levels of corruption we find fragile states, or states suffering from internal or external conflict--in places such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Nigeria, and Sudan. The problem of corruption, and the dysfunction that follows it, can be difficult to address because it is like a hydra, with many corrupt actors that can include government officials, businessmen, law enforcement, military personnel, and organized criminal groups. Corruption is a system that operates via extensive, entrenched networks in both the public and private sectors. But we must address it. We can't throw up our hands and accept corruption as the status quo, because the costs of not addressing and rooting it out are too great. Corruption fuels violent extremism, pushing young people toward violence, because they lose faith in the institutions that are supposed to protect and serve them. Corruption feeds the destructive fire of criminal networks and transnational crime. Citizens lose faith in the social compact between governments and the people.…”