The White House has announced President Obama will deliver a major speech responding to the recent popular uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa in the coming weeks. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed the uprisings in a speech before a gathering of Arab and U.S. policymakers in Washington.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “Today the long Arab winter has begun to thaw. For the first time in decades, there is a real opportunity for lasting change, a real opportunity for people to have their voices heard and their priorities addressed. Now this raises significant questions for us all.”