Hillary Clinton... sometimes described as
America's Blond Eminenceand at other times as Mrs. Bill, never as
Another William Jennings Bryan...
on Tuesday vowed to press ahead with support for democracy promotion groups, saying that they play a critical role despite a crackdown in Egypt.
Clinton, addressing U.S. ambassadors from around the world who are back in Washington for a group conference, said that civil society groups are vital to encouraging U.S. goals such as advancing democracy and women's participation.
"When people feel safe and empowered to pursue their legitimate aspirations, they are more likely to reject extremism and to invest in their own societies," Clinton said.
Clinton noted that a number of governments, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, are curbing such groups and "challenging the propriety of American support for civil society organizations."
"I need each of you -- and especially those of you operating in restrictive environments -- to communicate our commitment to working with and supporting individuals and groups that represent not only what we believe are our values, but universal values: freedoms and human rights
...which often include carefully measured allowances of
freedomat the convenience of the state...
," she told the diplomats.