We knew our heroes would win.

Of course, we know that a different approach will be needed in the longer run.

We knew it meant there was about to be a butter shortage.

The costs of inaction are morally and economically untenable.

Lastly, as we are all aware, the NPT Review Conference is coming up in a little over two months.

The days and nights ahead will be difficult, and the secret presence of Russian troops will make them all the more dangerous.

But we do know that the alternatives increasing sanctions, military strikes, and perhaps war would have unforeseeable consequences.

A collapse of the Dayton peace agreement would be an unnecessary and unwanted additional problem for the next US president.

Ending US involvement before the Iraqis can achieve these goals on their own would be disastrous for both US and Iraqi interests.

We are fully aware that preparedness is necessary.

If skeptics are right, then we should accept that we will periodically be out of financial and fiscal balance without knowing it in advance.

Ending the American occupation in Iraq and imposing an Arab Israeli peace would help, but they are no panacea.

We know what must be done.

But one thing is certain we will know which path the country s leaders have chosen sooner rather than later.

There is in fact no inherent conflict, once we understand that what matters for growth in developing countries is not the size of their trade surpluses, nor even the volume of their exports.

We now know that they are not.

Nor is there such a thing as a free war.

Additionally, the Big Three are vital to national security, supplying important military transportation assets. Lastly, bankruptcy will impose massive costs on the government s Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), further worsening the fiscal outlook.

We see the importance of our work, but we also see its limits.

Now we see that countries far away have had very similar experiences.

It is easy to see why.

We understand, however, that the world is changing, and changing quickly.

We realize that this is primarily the responsibility of the Ivorian people themselves.

First, markets need clear rules.

In the end, the alternatives to adjustment are not soft.

Europe s weakness becomes even more obvious given that it is not at all clear whether the American missile defense system will ever work.

Iran s energy demand will exceed its supply, possibly reducing or even eliminating its oil export capacity in the near future.

We are aware that his task is by no means an easy one, but he must succeed.

We must recognize, yet again, that we are all in this together.

But there is a critical difference between balancing and subservience.

It is easy to see how terrorism can lead to torture.

It is not hard to see why.

We understand that both sides have domestic concerns and demands to address.

First, we should recognize that even as oil becomes scarce, other fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and unconventional sources such as shale and tar sands, will remain plentiful for centuries.

It s a cheer that means one thing tortillas are only going to get more expensive. Given what the candidates have said so far about Latin America, that s a trend unlikely to change.

But make no mistake both parties are implicated.

This possibility is at our fingertips.

Finally, policymakers are running out of tools.

But the point remains that ideas matter.

We must recognize that democracy has proved its worth around the world.

A country s most valuable resource is its people.

But we should be clear that these changes are not just tinkering at the edges.

We realize that reporting can be a strain on already limited administrative resources.

It is heart warming to recognize that the proposal enjoys widespread support among Member States.

The dilemma posed by China for democratic regimes is understandable.