Powell: Openness is nation's greatest strength, foreign policy tool

Published: 2005-05-05

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (CNS) -- The "greatest strength" the American people have as a society is the country's openness, which is also the nation's "greatest foreign policy tool," retired Gen. Colin Powell said April 29 at Molloy College in Rockville Centre. The challenge for national security it is to create a balance that protects the American public without closing foreign people out entirely, he said. "While we secure ourselves, we must not close ourselves off," said Powell. "We don't want another 9-11, but the best way to ensure we don't have another 9-11 is to reach out to other countries and let them know what America is all about." The former U.S. Secretary of State and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke to a packed auditorium about diplomacy, leadership and foreign policy at the fifth annual Joseph F. Maher Leadership Forum. This year's topic was "Diplomacy: Persuasion, Trust and Values."

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