Romney On Foreign Policy...Scary!

Mitt Romney will give a major foreign policy speech today where he is expected to draw a sharp distinction between his world view and that of the president.  His remarks come after months of criticizing the president as being weak on foreign affairs.

We took the opportunity to read recently released excerpts of the speech.  Frankly, we are having difficulty discerning much of any difference between Romney’s remarks and the current administration policies.

Romney says that he will put Iran on notice that the US and our allies will prevent Iran from nuclear weapon capability.  He also said that he would tighten existing sanctions and authorize new ones.  Done! 

Romney says that he will champion foreign trade in the Middle East and around the world.  Done!

Romney says that he will support those in the Middle East who share our values.  Done!

Romney says he will pursue the terrorists who bombed our Libyan embassy and support the Libyan people in their efforts to forge a lasting government.  Done!

Romney says that he will use our influence to urge the newly elected Egyptian government to represent all Egyptians.  Done!

Romney says that he will work toward identifying, organizing and supporting those who oppose the current regime in Syria.  Done!

Romney says that he will pursue a real and successful transition to Afghan security forces by the end of 2014.  He says that he will review conditions on the ground with our military commanders and that he will place the security of the nation over his political prospects.  Done!

Romney says that he will commit America to the goal of a democratic, prosperous Palestinian state peacefully living side by side with Israel.  Done!

What we have in Romney’s remarks is a litany of the very same things that the president has been doing for the past four years.  What we also have is a Mitt Romney who is once again changing his tune.

Just a few short weeks ago we heard Romney swear that the sanctions against Iran were not working.  He stopped just short of demanding that the president authorize immediate military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities.  Now he wants to strengthen sanctions and authorize new ones.  Where is the Romney just aching to start another war?

Just a few short weeks ago we heard Romney criticizing the president for not doing more to help the opposition in Syria.  He blamed the president for the violence in the region.  Leading from behind" was the term he used.  "Slow to act." is how he described the president's response.  Now he sends a mixed message.  First he says he will work to "identify" the opposition. Then he says he wants to arm the opposition so they can take on Syria's tanks and attack aircraft.  The difficulty in identifying the Syrian opposition is exactly why the administration held off shipping arms into the  conflict.  Giving arms to Al Qaeda is not a winning strategy.  First Romney calls for aggressive action.  Then he calls for restraint and caution.  Then he ramps up the aggression again.  

Just a few short weeks ago we heard Romney tell a group of wealthy donors that peace in Palestine was a lost cause.  An unsolvable problem to be kicked down the road to the next in line.  Now he says he will commit America to to the goal of creating a prosperous democratic Palestinian state.

We have seen firsthand how Romney responds in a crisis. We recall how his premature, fact impaired  news conference just prior to the Benghazi violence served as a blueprint to all future leaders in what NOT to do.  We have listened to his politically motivated window rattling bluster and his unpatriotic, ill timed rants against America’s leader.  And now we watch as he unashamedly whitewashes away everything he said before. 

If Romney wants to go to war with Iran and Syria; beef up our military strikes in Pakistan; reengage in Iraq and keep American forces in Afghanistan until the cows come home he should level with the American people.  Instead we get a candidate of political convenience.

What we see once again is a candidate who is not fit for the office of president.  A candidate, whose politically motivated bluff and bluster, even if he really doesn’t mean it, will put the country at risk. 

You can screw up on domestic policy and the result is little more than a punch line on Saturday Night Live.  But when you screw up on foreign policy you can cause a war.  Just ask George W. Bush.