US faces economic challenges due to Iraq, Afghan war: Hillary

In an article titled ‘Americas Pacific Century’, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrote that the future of politics will be decided in Asia, not Afghanistan or Iraq, and the United States will be right at the center of the action.She said over the last 10 years, we have allocated immense resources to those two theaters. In the next 10 years, we need to be smart and systematic about where we invest time and energy, so that we put ourselves in the best position to sustain our leadership, secure our interests, and advance our values, she said.Clinton said that one of the most important tasks of American statecraft over the next decade will therefore be to lock in a substantially increased investment -- diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise -- in the Asia-Pacific region.Mentioning the future engagements of US in the Asia Pacific region, Hillary Clinton said that the Asia-Pacific has become a key driver of global politics.She said stretching from the Indian subcontinent to the western shores of the Americas, the region spans two oceans -- the Pacific and the Indian -- that are increasingly linked by shipping and strategy and it boasts almost half the worlds population.She further said that the region includes many of the key engines of the global economy, as well as the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.Focusing on the importance of the region, Hillary Clinton said that the Asia Pacific is home to several of US key allies and important emerging powers like China, India, and Indonesia.