At the most recent debate for the Republican presidential candidates, Mitt Romney wanted to show off his understanding of international affairs, and told the audience that Syria is Iran's "key ally" and Iranians' "route to the sea."
Iran, of course, has 1,520 miles of its own coastline -- and doesn't share a border with Syria. In trying to demonstrate his foreign policy acumen, most notably regarding Iran, Romney helped prove he hasn't even looked at a map of the region in a while.
And yet, the former governor continues to feign expertise on the subject matter. Today he has an op-ed in the Washington Post, calling for Iranian sanctions (which Obama has already imposed); backing Israel (which Obama has also already done); and shaping a U.S. policy towards Iran that's "the same as Ronald Reagan's."
Um, Mitt? The Reagan administration sold Iran weapons, in violation of an arms embargo, in order to help illegally finance the Contras in Nicaragua. Reagan also sought a check on Iranian power by cozying up to Saddam Hussein after he used chemical weapons against his own people.
A Romney administration's approach to Iran would be "the same as Ronald Reagan's"? Seriously?
Ed Kilgore was unimpressed.
If this all sounds a bit like foreign policy as it would be conducted by a seventeen-year-old boy with an addiction to energy drinks, that is almost certainly intentional. If the chronic liberal vice in foreign policy is excessive faith in international organizations, the chronic conservative vice is the belief that America must perpetually prove its willingness to kill instantly and remorselessly. Romney's handlers want to make sure conservatives are reassured he fully shares that vice.
For his part, President Obama responded to an NBC News question at a White House conference this morning that referenced Romney's criticism on Iran. Obama rejected "the casualness with which some of these folks talk about war," adding, "This is not a game -- and there's nothing casual about it."
The president went on to say, "If some of these folks think that it's time to launch a war, they should say so, and they should explain to the American people exactly why they would do that and what the consequences would be. Everything else is just talk."
Mr. Romney, I think he was talking to you.
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Another geography challenged Republican! Shades of Sarah Palin claiming foreign policy expertise because when Vladimir Putin flies to the US, he flies over Alaska. And to call up the ghost of Ronald Reagan on Iran shows an incredible lack of historical knowledge. It's amateur night at the Romney's! Bring your own costume!
At least as troubling as Mr. Romney's irresponsible statements on Iran and total lack of awareness of the region is that his campaign staff is doing such a lousy job vetting his OpEd pieces before they get submitted. I've been around enough campaigns in my life to know that while the candidate may decide he wants to say something on an editorial page about a subject, it's the staff that writes the piece. Surely, there must be someone advising Mr. Romney who knows how to use Mapquest or Google Earth and can check whether Iran has its own coastline.
Remember, should Mitt Romney win in November, these are the same uninformed people who will be sitting in White House offices making foreign policy plans and decisions.
Yet...to many of Our Beloved Brothers and Sisters...this is not a big deal based on the rational point that,"hey, the POTUS has advisesors and staff; so he doesn't really need to know these things. He can learn as he goes. Who cares where "Usbeckiebeckiestan" is. You don't need to know the culture of foreign nations. I suprised someone has not pressured our rep to the UN to demand the rest of the World learn English as their primary language. When I really want to have some fun...I close my eyes and imagine Romney being sworn in as POTUS. Try it some time....
Yes. Foreign Policy. That's what Republicans should spend more time talking about. Because that will go so much better for them than talking about social issues did.
The Republicans may want to save face and not vote at all. Seriously, they will live to regret the fact that they have voted for this excuse of a person. He may be rich but, he is a lying dummy, literally.. who finds it very hard to walk, speak, or dress appropriately what's with the jeans. Think of your children and do not vote republican Like my Great Grampa used to say you can't go wrong with a democrat.
Gee, maybe the right is trying to show us how much they hate education?
The hollow man,Mitt Romney and his pathetic attempt to connect with middle America is an affront to our intelligence.I expect at any time he is going to break out and start singing "I'm An Old Cowhand From The Rio Grand".Maybe his time at Bain Capital buying up business' sucking the life out of them,firing the work force,putting a padlock on the door's and shipping the job's abroad,worked on a small scale,but how will it work for 160m people?The man ca'nt even remember what he said 3 hrs ago how is he going to handle foreign relation's?Let's see what did I say to the president of Pakistan? Somebody tell me what I said.I think he should be checked for early sign's of dementia.And then there's Mrs.Romney,who said she does'nt feel wealthy.What a statement!Has she ever cleaned a toilet,scrubbed the floor,vacuumed the carpet or done anything that "unwealthy"women do everyday?Has she ever had to work for a living,teach school,drive a cab,clean out sewer's or fight fires?No wonder she does'nt feel wealthy.Does she think everybody can go out and buy a new bridge table and not check the price tag?She said that her idea of wealth is friend's and family,and that's exactly who her and her husband plan to take care of once got into office.
damn good read......thanks
Of course he struggles with the basics. Republicans are all "big picture" people who can't be bothered with the little details like truth and facts. Case in point: ask gw what he knows about Iraq.
Romney's not even a liar. A liar knows the truth and chooses to tell an untruth. Romney says whatever he wants and doesn't care if it's false or not. There's a one-word definition of that: he's a bs-er.
He's also too stupid to know he should care, which makes him a moron (but then, a moron IQ level is "entry" to membership in the Republican Party).
And of course his audience is too stupid to know they're being bs-ed
No. He is a lying piece of garbage. You seem to think he is innocent due to ignorance. An honest man says "I don't know" A liar assumes you don't know.
He once said "if You say something and YOU believe it, it is the truth".
Willard's foreign policy team is the same bunch that lied us into Iraq...and, he should be trusted with the 3am phone call?
That has to be the best Obama retort. He sounds like an adult while Republicans are all about braggadocio.
Yep...and I love the whole idea of poking an unstable government with a stick as if to say..."Hey, Don't Mess With The U.S." If Romney doesn't plan to send any of his sons to Iran...he should shut the hell up!!!!
You don't provoke or get in a shouting match with an idiot who can't wait to get to "Heaven". Bush telegraphed our invasion of Iraq for a year or more. Who needs the element of surprise? Let's send another 4 thousand troops to the slaughter, while Romney and his sons sit at one of their 12 homes counting their cars......
The GOP are cruel sit-com without charm and intentional humor.
Poor Mitt! All those confusing I words in that part of the world, and all with a lot of oil, sand and Muslims. Going for the job of the #1 Guy, he can't really ask someone on the campaign trail to tutor him. That would only make for a really great tell-all book. But they're all about the same, anyway. Right?
understanding of Foreign & International affairs by the GOP wannabes Romney, santorum & gingrich is limited to parroting what Netanyahu says or his regime's mouth piece- AIPAC.
Republicans might start World War III if they get elected in 2013, and that war might happen simply because the US can't promise to not attack Iran because of Republican insanity.
A larger issue is that Israel murdered the top manager of the Iranian nuclear program, which may goad Iran into attacking Israel. That murder was outrageously stupid.
Republicans have used any excuse they can think of to attack Iran every chance they get for over half a century.
The reason Iran wants nuclear weapons is to defend themselves from the UK and US, who have a track record of attacking Iran to take oil.
Iran is sick and tired of being attacked to lower gas prices after every Republican and Conservative political win in the US / UK.
And it is a pretty good bet Iran already have nukes. There are no high-level spies in Iran so there is no way to tell. If Iran does not already have nukes, then they will soon.
Iran claims to have the ability to strike the US with missiles and is definitely going to develop/test nuclear weapons in response to statements by every Republican stating that they are going to attack Iran if they get elected.
And Iran has specifically stated that they are going to strike first before the US.
The entire Iranian population despises the US because we killed the first Shah so we could rob their oil, and that hatred is only going to get worse if the US kills more Iranians in order to rob more oil.
Well, it's no wonder he can't keep his Iran policy straight. I mean, in reality the GOP thrives on turmoil in the Middle East. So they, and this candidate, have to keep stoking the fires while pretending that the policies of Obama are weak and ineffective. The guy from Mossad says Romney is inflaming the desire of the Iranians to accomplish the bomb. Go figure.
Anyone who advocates going to war with Iran without first wringing out all viable alternatives, please go to the Army or Army Reserves or Army National Guard and sign up; they will take you up to 42 years old. Take your parents with you if they are advocates, so that they can lend patriotic and moral support and help you be fitted for your uniform (alright Mitt Romney, now your sons can cut down on the number of "families not paying the price of freedom". Army not your "cup of tea" or you are too old? Air Force reserve and guard will take you until age 34!