against the harsh rhetoric of kim john upg -- sim -- kim jong-un and assuring help of friends at the same time, leaving the door open to some kind of negotiations. in afghanistan, the president has honored our commitment to assist the national government but he is also said that we will neither pursue unachievable goals nor demands that our fighting men and women carry the burden forever. in the middle east secretary kerry is engaged in a brave effort to revive the peace process but with the understanding that we can not want peace more than the israelis and palestinians. it is their land, their lives, and their future that will be at stake in any settlement. and finally in the economic arena the administration has sought to improve coordination with our allies and partners while going the extra mile in pursuit of a bipartisan budget agreement here at home. overall, mr. obama has adopted an approach to global affairs that conveys