Obama Admin to release a new National Security Strategy

"The new approach would be rooted in and guided by America's national security interests. These interests are clear and enduring," National Security Advisor General (rtd) James Jones said at Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

He said the US had an enduring interest in security of America, its citizens and allies and partners. "We have an enduring interest in a strong, innovative and growing US economy in an open international economic system that promotes opportunity and prosperity," he said, adding US had an enduring interest in upholding universal values, at home and around the world.

"We have an enduring interest in an international order advanced by US leadership that promotes peace, security and opportunity through stronger cooperation to meet global challenges," Jones said. Since taking office, the NSA said, US President Barack Obama has made it clear that his first and foremost priority was the safety and security of the American people and he had pursued a new era of US leadership and comprehensive engagement based on mutual interests and mutual respect.

"Security, prosperity, universal values, and an international order advanced by American leadership-these are the interests that the President and his Administration are working to advance around the world every day, including in the Middle East," Jones said. "To strengthen our security, we are responsibly ending the war in Iraq," he said, adding that as evidenced by the successes this weekend of military operations against al Qaeda in Iraq, Iraqi security forces are in the lead.

"The United States will end our combat mission by the end of August. In accordance with the US-Iraq Security Agreement, all US forces will be out Iraq by the end of next year. Now, the most immediate challenge is for Iraqi political leaders to form an inclusive and representative government," Jones said.

As they face the longer-term challenges of expanding prosperity and opportunity, the Iraqi people will continue to have a partner in the United States, he said in his remarks. Jones said the US is forging partnerships that isolate extremists, combat corruption and promote good governance and development-all of which improves the daily lives of ordinary people and undermines the forces that fuel violent extremism.

"To confront the greatest threat to global security - the danger that terrorists will obtain nuclear weapons or materials - the President hosted last week's historic Nuclear Security Summit, where 46 nations joined the goal of securing the world's vulnerable nuclear materials in four years," Jones noted.

"To advance our prosperity, the President has worked with allies and partners to expand the global economic recovery, pursue growth that is balanced and sustained, launched a national export initiative to double American exports and support two million American jobs... and reformed the international economic architecture so that the G-20 is now the premier forum for international cooperation," Jones said.

To advance a just and sustainable international order, the United States is working to ensure that both the rights and responsibilities of all nations are upheld. For example, the new START Treaty with Russia is part of the President's comprehensive agenda to pursue a world without nuclear weapons-an agenda that reflects the three pillars of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty: nations with nuclear weapons will reduce them, nations without nuclear weapons will forsake them, and the recognition that nations have a right to peaceful nuclear energy, he said.

"Whether or not the rights and responsibilities of nations are upheld will in great measure determine whether the coming years and decades result in greater security, prosperity and opportunity-for Americans and for people around the world," Jones said.