Stephen Hadley: The challenges our successors in the White House will face

For the next administration, the biggest foreign policy challenge is Iran. Negotiations, as some have proposed, without leverage will not produce a change in Iranian behavior or advance US interests. The outgoing administration and its international partners will leave the incoming team with significantly increased leverage on Iran. The issue is how the new team will use this leverage to produce a different Iranian policy on its nuclear programme, terrorism, and Middle East peace.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Middle East may be the biggest opportunity for the new administration. I hope the new team will not feel compelled to "reinvent the wheel," but will use the Annapolis process – which has been embraced by the states of the region – as an opportunity to advance the cause of peace. First and foremost, this means helping to complete the building of the democratic institutions of a Palestinian state. This work is critical to any future peace. Second, it means using the confidential bilateral negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis already underway to negotiate the peace – and build on the substantial progress that has already been made.

Afghanistan will be another early challenge. The Taliban remain a serious threat. Its fighters have found safe haven in Pakistan. If the extremists succeed in destabilizing Pakistan, the chaos will threaten progress throughout the region. So stabilizing Pakistan must be a first priority.

The new administration also has the opportunity to build on our efforts to link the countries of Central Asia with the nations of South Asia through a new axis of trade and energy. This axis can be the key to a more prosperous region.

President Bush has put in place tools that will permit future presidents to succeed in the struggle ahead. And I hope the next administration will preserve these tools and use them to defend our security and our freedom.

Few presidents have faced more challenges than President Bush. But the history books will tell the story of a man who never wavered from his principles, who kept our nation safe, and who helped spread the blessings of liberty to millions around the world.

Stephen Hadley, National Security Adviser to President Bush, spoke to the The Center for Strategic and International Studies on Wednesday