Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has just completed a tour of several Asian nations, her debut on the world stage.
She has made a very good impression in the process, demonstrating patience, realism, firmness and principle in her dealings with the various nations, including China, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.
First impressions lead to the conclusion that our image in Asia and the world in general will be greatly improved by her approach to international issues, and the Obama administration will rapidly make progress in improving our standing in the world, not only with our friends, but also with our rivals.
Hillary Clinton faces a tremendous challenge over the next four or more years, but I think the American people can feel confidence that our ship of state in foreign policy is in excellent hands!