HILLARY CLINTON has signalled a new American policy initiative in the Middle East, seeking to engage Syria and Iran as "constructive regional actors" and renewing efforts to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Appearing before the Senate foreign relations committee for her confirmation hearing as the next secretary of state, Mrs Clinton said the United States must use "smart power" - a combination of diplomatic, economic and military tools - to pursue its interests in the world.
"The clear lesson of the last 20 years is that we must both combat the threats and seize the opportunities of our interdependence. . . we must build a world with more partners and fewer adversaries," she said.
"America cannot solve the most pressing problems on our own and the world cannot solve them without America. The best way to advance America's interest in reducing global threats and seizing global opportunities is to design and implement global solutions. This isn't a philosophical point. This is our reality."
As senator for New York, Mrs Clinton has been a strident supporter of Israel but her comments yesterday on the violence in Gaza hinted at a more even-handed approach as secretary of state.
"The president-elect and I understand and are deeply sympathetic to Israel's desire to defend itself under the current conditions and to be free of shelling by Hamas rockets. However, we have also been reminded of the tragic humanitarian costs of conflict in the Middle East and pained by the suffering of Palestinian and Israeli civilians," she said.
"This must only increase our determination to seek a just and lasting peace. . . We will exert every effort to support the work of Israelis and Palestinians who seek that result."
Mrs Clinton received a friendly reception from the committee but its most senior Republican, Indiana's Richard Lugar, complained that former president Bill Clinton had not gone far enough to remove the potential for a conflict of interest involving his philanthropic foundation.
The foundation has received millions of dollars from foreign donors, including between $10 million (€7.6 million) and $25 million from the Saudi Arabian government.
Mr Lugar said it was not enough for Mr Clinton to reveal names of past donors but that the former president should refuse to accept any foreign contributions while his wife is secretary of state.
"The Clinton Foundation exists as a temptation for any foreign entity or government that believes it could curry favour through a donation," Mr Lugar said. "It also sets up potential perception problems with any action taken by the secretary of state in relation to foreign givers or their countries."
Committee chairman John Kerry pressed Mrs Clinton on whether Iran should be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon and she replied that "no option is off the table" in preventing Tehran from doing so.
In the hearing's most memorable moment, Mrs Clinton noted that Mr Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, a pioneer in micro-finance, was due to attend the Beijing Women's Summit in 1995 but was unable to travel because she was too ill at the time.
"I think it's fair to say that her work in international development, the care and concern she showed for women and for poor people around the world, mattered greatly to her son and certainly has informed his views and his vision," Mrs Clinton said.
"We will be honoured to carry on Ann Dunham's work in the months and years ahead."