Clinton Invokes Libya To Make Case For Increased Budget

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cautioned Republican lawmakers on Thursday to meet President Obama’s 2012 budget request for the State Department.

Clinton told members of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations that more funding is needed to help American diplomats carry out important jobs in volatile regions of the world.

Libya, a tiny North African country that borders Egypt, has fallen into a near civil war in recent weeks, due to its ruler’s (Muammar Gaddafi) refusal to give in to the demands of rebels and step down.

“In the years ahead, Libya could become a stable, peaceful democracy or it could fall into chaos and violence,” Clinton said. “The stakes are high.”

Obama requested $59.5 billion in funding for the State Department in 2012, an increase of $11 billion from its current budget.