Madeline Albright, the first female U. S. Secretary of State who helped steer Western Foreign Policy in the aftermath of the Cold War, has died. Albright was a central figure in President Bill Clinton’s Administration, first serving as U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations, before becoming the Nation’s top diplomat in his second term. She championed the expansion of NATO, pushed for the Alliance to intervene in the Balkans to stop genocide and ethnic cleansing, sought to reduce the spread of nuclear weapons and championed Human Rights and Democracy across the globe.
President Joe Biden paid tribute to Albright in a lengthy statement Wednesday, calling her a “force” and saying working with her during the 1990’s while he was on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was among the highlights of his Senate career.
Senator Jerry Moran praised Albright, saying she was an inspiration to many, including women around the world and generous in her support of young people pursuing public service careers.
Albright had been battling cancer. She was 84 years old.
