Yet for all the anxieties and turmoil that surround us, I have to say that I remain an optimist -- though an optimist who worries a lot.Around the world, America remains the brightest beacon of human liberty.We are diverse, we are entrepreneurial and we are resilient.No other country is in a better position to succeed in this new era than we areso we must be unafraid to exercise our leadership in support of peace, in defense of liberty, and to further justice.But we must also realize, that for all our power, we can rarely succeed by simply going alone.If we want the world to heed our views and follow our lead, we must listen to the concern of others.We must listen confidently to rising powers such as China, who want to have a greater say in global governance,as we push them to abide by the same rules that we ourselves uphold.We must listen to scientists who say global warming is a real and grave threat to our future;scientists who believe that conservation is a national security imperative, not a four-letter word.And we must listen to those who argue that globalization should not lead to marginalization of the world's poor.
