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Attending the Munich Security Conference

Feb 8, 2012 | Blog

This past weekend, I traveled to Europe as part of an official Senate delegation.  The first stop was Spain, where we received a country team briefing from the U.S. Embassy, and then met with the new Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.  Later that day we traveled to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference.

As a member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence, this was an invaluable opportunity for me to meet with foreign leaders and discuss the global security threats we face and how our nations can better address them.  At a time when Iran is determined to become a nuclear power, President Assad in Syria is allowed to massacre the Syrian people with the blessing of China and Russia, and Afghanistan, Iraq and Egypt remain unstable, I was reminded of the indispensability of the United States as a force for good in an unpredictable and dangerous world.  The U.S. – NATO alliance has been instrumental in bringing peace and freedom to millions of people in the world.  Going forward the U.S. will need to strengthen this alliance, and others in the Middle East and Asia while calling on our allies to do more at a time of economic uncertainty, to ensure a prosperous and free 21st century.   

Below are some photos from the trip: 

 

With Germany’s Defense Minister Thomas de Maziere

 With Germany's Defense Minister Thomas de Maziere

Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon

 Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon

His Royal Highness Prince Faisal of Jordan

His Royal Highness Prince Faisal of Jordan

Photo with Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy

Photo with Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy