Hillary's First Controversy

It took a little while, but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is finally riling some feathers: On her first trip abroad, she questioned the efficacy of sanctions in Burma, spoke about a succession in crisis in North Korea, and brushed aside questions of human rights in China. Writes The Washington Post: “To a certain extent, these comments crossed taboo lines in international diplomacy.” Human-rights activists are particularly upset about her comment that, while she would raise human-rights issues in her meetings with Chinese leaders, “we pretty much know what they’re going to say.” Clinton defended herself, saying, "I think that to worry about something which is so self-evident is an impediment to clear thinking. And I don't think it should be viewed as particularly extraordinary that someone in my position would say what's obvious."