At State Department, Hillary Clinton emerges as America's "Iron Lady"

Many saw Hillary Clinton's accession to the coveted role of Secretary of State as an act of appeasement to many Democrats by our ever politically-conscious President. After all, Obama barely edged her out of becoming the first woman president and his inner-circle effectively blocked her from making history as the first woman vice president. Regardless, Clinton's appointment will go down in history as one of the best decisions by the President, whose Presidency in some aspects, has yet to leave the ground. With her international celebrity, striking independence and formidable strength, Hillary Clinton has emerged as America's "Iron Lady."

Secretary Clinton's international journey began in February of this year with a crisscross tour in Asia. Clinton was received by the heads of state of Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and, arguably most importantly, China. I say this because Clinton was faced with the remarkable challenge of convincing the Chinese government to continue to invest in America's treasury bonds. The AP quoted Clinton as saying, "''It's a safe investment. The United States has a well-deserved financial reputation."" She furthered that the U.S. and China must come together to restore the world economy. In March, Clinton began the tumultuous task of seeking peace between Israel and the Palestinians. This issue has plagued many administrations and especially the State Department for many years. The Secretary of State called for new talks and agreements to smooth over a conflict that has strained the region and resulted in countless deaths throughout its history. Clinton concluded a conference with international donors providing aid to the region by urging the leaders on both sides of the conflict to resist further recriminations and noted, "It is time to look ahead." Time will be Clinton's test on this issue, although it must be somewhat personal for her after watching her husband make the most progress of any president on the issue, before talks broke down in late 2000.

Joe Biden's prophecy of President Obama being "tested" by the international community soon into his presidency came to light as North Korea claimed to have successfully tested underground nuclear weapons and tested long-range missiles that flew over Japan in April. Clinton responded boldly to the North Korean regime by saying the rogue nation's "provocative" behavior could land them back on the U.S. list of states who sponsor terrorism. President Bush removed North Korea from the U.S. terrorism list following agreements to halt nuclear advancement. More recently, North Korea has agreed to return to the so-called "six party" talks, marking a victory for U.S. diplomacy on the issue.

With her hawkish approach and strong stance on foreign policy that sets her apart from her liberal counterparts, Secretary Clinton has been the leading voice in the administration's response to Iran's continued efforts to become the next nuclear power in the international arena. When news broke of Iran's secret uranium enrichment facilities, Secretary Clinton immediately lobbied the international community to condemn Iran's actions. Clinton has set to build a consensus between the U.S., Russia and China so that the nations can coordinate efforts to deter Iran's continued efforts. On Face the Nation, Clinton spoke firmly saying, "Words are not enough…They're going to have to clearly demonstrate…what they're up to."

After the "Clinton-drama" obsessed American media outlets were put in their place regarding the notion of Hillary Clinton being "marginalized" by the Obama administration, the Secretary has emerged as the leader on American policy in Afghanistan. Clinton's alliance with Secretary of Defense Gates, coupled with her warm embrace and acceptance by the Afghan President Hamid Karzai, has elevated her to a key leadership position with the war in Afghanistan. In fact, the inner-Washington circles were whispering that Obama's troop surge number came from a Clinton-Gates suggestion, while the Vice President was arguing for no troop escalation in the region.

Here at home, Hillary Clinton's approval rating has surged past her boss' and every member of the administration. In fact, a Gallup poll in mid-October found her approval rating at 62 percent. Most notably, her support amongst Republicans has consistently stayed at 35 percent throughout this year, while President Obama currently has a 19 percent approval amongst Republicans. So much for a "post-partisan" Presidency. Moreover, a recent CNN poll found that 67 percent of Americans view her as qualified to be President. It is true that Clinton isn't dogged down by the administration's domestic policy proposals, which are being resisted by many Americans.

However, I would argue that regardless of the political climate, many Americans are drawn in by her formidable strength in character and her hard work ethic. I know personally that I sleep a little better at night knowing that Hillary Clinton is guiding the direction of American foreign policy.

In less than two years, Hillary Clinton has gone from one of the most politically-divisive American figures to an inspirational and transformative leader. The public finally sees what many of us have known throughout her career, Hillary Clinton is of a rare political breed who puts people before politics, advocates fiercely for a strong America and is an international leader on universal human rights. Now that she is no longer in her husband's shadow there is no doubt any longer that Hillary Clinton is her own woman and will be an inspiration for generations to come.