Department+Of+State

====The United States seeks in Northern Europe a safe, secure, and supportive environment for advancing an agenda of interests that we share with the eight Nordic and Baltic nations of Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Denmark. These states are important U.S. allies and friends, and together contribute to the vision of Europe "whole, free and at peace."====

====The U.S. Government's previous policy framework for the Baltic Sea area, the Northern Europe Initiative (NEI), launched in 1997, has achieved great success. The policy's foremost goal, the integration of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia into the western European community of democracies, has been achieved, as symbolized by offers of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and European Union (EU) membership for the three states. NEI was also successful at fostering a network of political and personal connections among countries of the Baltic Sea region and with the United States.====

====Dramatic changes in the world and positive evolution in Northern Europe now require an updated U.S. approach to the region. This updated policy, the Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe (e-PINE) will be guided by three principles:====

*
====Building on successful multilateral engagement. Our new policy will build on success, expanding and deepening the multilateral ties and the network of cooperation that has developed over the past decade. The U.S. will seek to work with regional bodies in carrying out policies and development programs.====

*
====Fulfilling the vision. Our efforts to help the region build civil society, strengthen democratic institutions, combat crime and corruption, and entrench rule of law will continue. Threats from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction have not diminished. Health concerns, particularly the scourge of HIV/AIDS and drug resistant tuberculosis, and environmental problems, need to be addressed. Economic advancement in the region, and U.S. trade, investment and economic ties, while significant, can still be improved. Further, we must continue the task of erasing the false dividing lines of the Cold War. Northwest Russia, including Kaliningrad, has not progressed as fast as the rest of the region.====

*
====Exporting success. As a mature area with multiple layers of cooperation and success, this region can serve as a model for others. Together we can find ways to support democratization and civil society in "neighboring" areas.====

====The Enhanced Partnership will be carried out with the same cooperative, multilateral approach that has characterized the last decade of U.S. policy in the region. Multinational groups such as the Arctic Council, of which the U.S. is a member, will continue to be an important forum for greater environmental and scientific exchange and dialogue. We are active observers in the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS), the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, and other excellent fora for exchanging information and undertaking cooperative problem-solving. U.S. Government participation in these organizations will continue, with an emphasis on determining which organizations and meetings offer the most possibilities for advancing the Enhanced Partnership.====

The [|U.S. Constitution], drafted in [|Philadelphia] , [|Pennsylvania] in 1787 and ratified by the states the following year, gave the [|President] the responsibility for the conduct of the nation's foreign relations. It soon became clear, however, that an executive department was necessary to support the President in the conduct of the affairs of the new federal government. The [|House of Representatives] and [|Senate] approved legislation to establish a Department of Foreign Affairs on July 21, 1789, and President Washington signed it into law on July 27, making the Department of Foreign Affairs the first Federal agency to be created under the new Constitution. This legislation remains the basic law of the Department of State. In September 1789, additional legislation changed the name of the agency to the Department of State and assigned to it a variety of domestic duties. These responsibilities grew to include management of the [|United States Mint], keeper of the [|Great Seal of the United States] , and the taking of the [|census]. President [|George Washington] signed the new legislation on September 15. Most of these domestic duties of the Department of State were eventually turned over to various new Federal departments and agencies that were established during the 19th century. ==== O n September 29, 1789, President Washington appointed [|Thomas Jefferson] of [|Virginia], then Minister to [|France] , to be the first [|United States Secretary of State] , although [|John Jay] had been serving in that capacity as a holdover from the Confederation since before Washington had taken office and would continue in that capacity until Jefferson would return from Europe many months later.====

__ “The UK is one of the best prepared countries to deal with swine flu and “all action necessary” will be taken to stop its spread”. __ – Gordon Brown
====The UK’s Foreign Office is attempting to stop all travel to Mexico. Of the two confirmed cases in the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that both of the patients are getting better and the one person could leave the hospital as early as today (4/28/09). Health Secretary Alan Johnson said, “ Let me reassure you we have been planning for this kind of scenario for many years.” The World Health Organization has recently raised the alert level to four which is two steps away from declaring a pandemic.====

__US Responding as if Swine Flu will be the Pandemic__ The Obama administration said on Monday, after confirming 40 cases of swine flu in the U.S., that they were responding very aggressively as if the outbreak would turn into a full pandemic. The U.S. officials are strongly urging people to not travel to Mexico, since that i s where the flu started. The President stated that there was reason for concern but not yet “ a cause for alarm.” Custom officials started checking people coming into the country, and millions of flu-fighting medications were on their way to the states from a federal stockpile with priority already assigned to the five people already infected and to the neighboring states to Mexico.

__Mexico City Response__
=== In response to the outbreak of the swine flu in Mexico, the president has assumed new powers to isolate the people who are infected, and to inspect homes, incoming travelers and their baggage. The soldiers and health workers are patrolling airports and bus stations in attempt to corral hose who might have the virus. But, epidemiologists said that Mexico’s actions may come too late detaining the ill people may not be enough to contain the outbreak. Mexico has suspended many flights and travel out of Mexico to try to contain the virus. ===

Summaries for National Security through Diplomacy
__General Petraeus’s plan for Iran__ General Petraeus said that Petraeus said the possibility of military action against Iran should be retained as a "last resort." He also said that the United States should make every effort to engage the use of the whole government. Many of Irans critics say that by Iran supporting terrorism and there avid try at developing nuclear weapons. Lawmakers believe that with these actions the military needs to stay on alert.

__National Security Through Diplomacy Hillary Rodham Clinton__ Some believe that national diplomacy should be accomplished by Diplomacy and talking, while others still believe that it should be accomplished by peace through superior fire power. Clinton believes that you should commit money to various countries in the Middle East in the hope that this money will further the development of the country and end the conflict in these troubled areas. She believes that all conflict can be avoided with the use of diplomacy and that conflict should be avoided at all costs.

__Direct diplomacy with Iran__ Six powers have committed to direct diplomacy with Iran in hopes to defuse the standoff about nuclear weapons. The powers urged Iran to enter negotiations, to discuss the future of their nuclear weapons. Clinton told them that she would be surprised if Iran would commit to negotiations. Iran was rejecting United Nations Inspectors and they had many atomic advances

**What President Obama's response should be**- Obama should closely monitor the situation in Iran and then if it is necessary take the proper action and send the troops in.
1. What issues does the Department of State deal with. 2. How would the current leaders in office like to deal with the national security issues. **
 * Two questions