During Hillary Clinton’s first trip abroad as Secretary of State, the global financial crisis has been the primary topic of conversation and concern in the Secretary’s meetings, receptions, and speeches from Tokyo to Jakarta.
In an interview with ABC’s Martha Raddatz in Tokyo, Secretary Clinton agreed with Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair’s recent assertion that the global financial crisis is the primary security threat facing the United States today:
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I think what Director Blair was saying, which is a very important point, is we get fixated sometimes on the headlines of dangers. And that is not, in any way, to underestimate the importance of the continuing threat from terrorism, the instability in the Middle East and Afghanistan and Pakistan and elsewhere. But this economic crisis, left unresolved, will create massive unemployment. It will upend governments. It will, unfortunately, breed instability…
I think what [Blair is] saying is that yes, we have to look at this as a – as part of our threat matrix. I know some people have criticized him and said, "Well, what’s the economy have to do with terrorism?" That’s a very shortsighted view…
It is encouraging to hear that America’s most senior diplomat has connected the dots between the threats of bankrupt and failing states and the instability they breed and spread.
Rebecca Brocato contributed to this post.