WASHINGTON: No one uses the term "leader of the free world" any more except in an ironic sense.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called her country "a world leader" when delivering what the US administration billed as a major foreign policy address at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington DC on Wednesday.
Echoing US President Barack Obama in his inauguration speech in January, Clinton stressed American leadership in world affairs.
"We have the chance, and a profound responsibility, to exercise American leadership to solve problems in concert with others. That is the heart of America's mission in the world today," she said in a speech one administration official described as "muscular".
Reiterating many of the administration's foreign policy goals, Clinton outlined such priorities as commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and supporting human rights around the world.
Clinton claimed that some countries still seek to undermine US efforts as they don't share its values and interests.
"To these foes and would-be foes, let me say: You should know that our focus on diplomacy and development is not an alternative to our national security arsenal," she said. "You should never see America's willingness to talk as a sign of weakness to be exploited. We will not hesitate to defend our friends and ourselves vigorously when necessary with the world's strongest military."
