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That proximity to the President makes her a formidable force for influencing the U.N.'s expanding role in the post-cold war era. "At this stage in world history," Albright says, "practically every foreign-policy issue has something to do with the U.N. It puts me in the wonderful position of being there at the takeoff, during flight and at the landing." Plus the chance to drop a few rhetorical bombs along the way.