Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for presidential candidate at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. She becomes the first woman nominated by a major party in the U.S. The Democratic Convention's final day is themed: 'Stronger - Together.'
US President Barack Obama delivered his strongest endorsement to date for Hillary Clinton - saying, her experience working in the Oval Office makes her uniquely qualified to be president.
"Until you've sat at that desk, you don't know what it's like to manage a global crisis, or send young people to war. But Hillary's been in the room. She' been part of those decisions," Obama said.
As a former U.S. Secretary of State,- and her eight-years serving as a US Senator from New York - Clinton has left her mark on US foreign policy.
In terms of Russia, -she has called Vladimir Putin a "bully".
And, with ongoing tension in Ukraine - Clinton said U.S.-Russian relations hit a low ebb - But foreign affairs experts say it's important for the two nations to work together.
"She also understands that with Russia, we have multiple overlapping interests: nuclear issues,the Middle East, Iran,The fight against the Islamic State, Syria, good news and bad news all of it. But you have to be engaged, and this is someone who can engage," Joel Rubin with Washington Strategy Group said.
While ISIL's footprint in the region is contracting -- Clinton wants to focus more on the group's effort to unleash terror outside Syria and Iraq.
Clinton also wants to expands US airstrikes against ISIL. See more Muslim nations get involved in the fight.
And, the US take a greater role in coping with the massive humanitarian crisis the ongoing strife in the region has fostered
The attack in Libya, in the aftermath of the Arab Spring uprisings continues to haunt Clinton -
A US ambassador and three other Americans were killed in an attack in September of 2012.
Clinton, and the White House wrongly, initially blamed the assault on a protest, gone awry, over an anti-Islam video.
In the end, many investigations revealed that security was inadequate at the post in Benghazi.
In Asia, Clinton calls the US-China dynamic one of the most challenging relationships the US has. But, says the two share a "positive, comprehensive relationship." A far cry from the so-called China bashing from GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.
"We're not interested in demonizing the Chinese. That's not how you get things done for the American people. So, that's not what you're going to hear from Hillary Clinton. What you will hear is someone who understands what our interests are." Rubin said.
But Clinton has also frustrated Chinese officials - talking openly about human rights. And she also took the lead in making the South China Sea issue a global affair. At the 2010 Southeast Asia Security summit -it was Clinton who said the U.S. demanded open access and legal solutions to territorial disputes - saying they were in U.S. "national interest"
