Secretary Clinton returned to DC the first week of January and spoke on January 7 at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. The Christmas break was good for her. She dazzled us in a brand new red jacket. The moderator introduced her and she displayed her signature Hillary Clinton humility. I do believe she blushed.
On January 7, she (FINALLY) had her USAID administrator. She swore Administrator Shah in at USAID to applause (none louder than her own).
In Hawaii on the first leg of what was to be an Asian tour and visits to Australia and New Zealand as well, she learned of the earthquake in her beloved Haiti and returned to DC immediately.
She went from her plane to the White House. The emotional effect the quake had on her was visible in her face.
On January 16, she was the first official from any country on the ground in Port-au-Prince.
On January 21, she made her landmark speech on Internet freedom at the Newseum.
She went to Canada for a conference of North American foreign ministers on the situation in Haiti.
On January 25, she celebrated her first anniversary as SOS.
Near the end of the month, she was off to London and Paris. In London for the conference on Afghanistan, we saw a beautiful new tweed jacket and some flirtatious moments with then UK Foreign Minister David Miliband.
In Paris, she lost her shoe (adorably) upon entering the Elysée Palace and was brilliantly partnered by President Sarkozy in an unplanned choreography.
Since the last Wikileaks document dump of diplomatic communications, I have seen a plethora of articles accusing the SOS of changing her tune on internet freedom. I would like to point out that in her speech of January 29 at L'Ecole Militaire Paris, she made this statement which should put to rest any allegations of waffling.
Take cyber security, for example. We have to figure out how to cooperate not just in physical space, but in virtual space. The threats from cyber security breaches, concerted attacks on networks and countries, are likely to cross borders. We have to know how to defend against them and we have to enlist nations who are likeminded to work with. Similarly, with energy problems, attacks on pipelines, attacks on container ships, attacks on electric grids will have consequences far beyond boundaries. And it won’t just be NATO nations. NATO nations border non-NATO nations.
Since it is eminently appropriate to the Review, I am adding in this link to a very nice op-ed by Chris Cilizza in today's WaPo. Thank you, Chris. Lovely!
