Washington-Secretary of State Clinton burst back onto the international stage Wednesday with a salvo of warnings and condemnations for the mullahs of Iran.Clinton calls the bloody suppression of democracy demonstrators in Tehran "deplorable and unacceptable," demanding that Iran deal with the U.S. on disarming nukes or face tougher sanctions.
Clinton took on Iran in prepared remarks for what aides billed as a "major" address to the wonky Council on Foreign Relations. The speech is part of a public relations effort to demonstrate she's ready to take on the world after being sidelined by a fractured right elbow suffered last month.
Clinton says the clock is ticking for Iran on the face-to-face "engagement" offered by President Obama, warning: "The opportunity will not remain open indefinitely."
"Neither the President nor I have any illusions that direct dialogue with the Islamic Republic will guarantee success," Clinton says. "But we also understand the importance of trying to engage Iran and offering its leaders a clear choice: whether to join the international community as a responsible member or to continue down a path to further isolation."
Six months into the job, Clinton felt the need to put out a global reminder she's the go-to foreign policy architect of the U.S. and has an agenda calling for a "smart power" blend of diplomacy and aid backed up by military might.
The speech also comes after a bit of venting by Clinton earlier this week about White House foot-dragging on pulling her team together at State.
The elbow problem kept her on the bench for Obama's trip to Europe and Africa last week, but she's jumping back on her plane Friday for a six-day trip to India and Thailand, where she is looking for regional backing to confront North Korea.
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