US senator lauds UAE foreign policy

Dubai: US Democratic Senator Max Baucus, who is also chairman of the US Senate Committee on Finance, yesterday said that much will improve on the global stage next year after President-elect Barack Obama takes office on January 20.

In a lecture he gave at Zayed University (ZU), he commended Obama's choice of Hillary Clinton as the secretary of state saying that she is bright, competent, experienced and will complement Obama's good job.

After Obama's inauguration, he said, the president will tour the world and visit the region and the UAE, considering the country's prominence worldwide.

The UAE has maintained a well-balanced foreign policy, which is exemplary in the Middle East, he said.

He cited sending a humanitarian mission to Afghanistan and managing the Iranian nuclear threat alongside the US as examples of some of the policies.

He applauded the UAE's leadership, progress in various fields, diverse economy, energy-efficient projects and healthcare and education systems.

"I commend you for branching out, not taking things for granted and looking ahead," he said.

Asked by a Zayed University student on how the new administration planned to rectify the tarnished image of the US abroad, the senator said that the first step would be with the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

"We can't go back and undo what has happened. We should remove the US troops from Iraq and help it become a better country that is able to control its future, by working among different ethnic groups and provide it with assistance when needed," he said.