President Clinton addresses terrorism, environment, in Aspen

ASPEN (AP) -- America must restore its leadership in the world and get back into cooperation and diplomacy, former President Bill Clinton said Saturday at the Aspen Ideas Festival.

Clinton was scheduled to talk about his public service work, but the founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative and Clinton Climate Initiative also addressed foreign policy, inequality, the environment and the 2008 presidential election. While the 21st century will likely see far fewer deaths from wars and political conflict than in the 20th century, he said the London bombings and terrorism in general have shown the targets have shifted from poor civilians. "The difference is this time one of the victims might be us," he said.

Clinton says terrorism highlights the problem of identity. He says the suspects in the Britain bombing plot did not feel like they belonged in the world they were in.

An appropriate foreign policy to address those issues, he said, includes a security policy and a policy "to make more partners and fewer terrorists."

The world's poor and disenfranchised are "just as good as we are and need to be given a chance to feel that life has more meaning."

In addressing the world's hot spots, Clinton said the U.S. has "no choice but to withdraw a substantial amount of our military forces this year" from Iraq, largely because there aren't enough soldiers to fight more ground battles.

Clinton expressed faith in Americans supporting more foreign aid, now less than 1 percent of the budget.

"The public is already there. All you've got to do is tell them the truth," he said. He addressed the 2008 presidential election briefly and said he hopes his wife wins.

As for what he should be called if Hillary Clinton were elected president?

"My Scottish friends suggested First Laddy," he quipped.