Mitt Romney Delivers Foreign Policy Speech Today

Posted by Tina

“The first purpose of our military is to prevent war”

Mitt /Romney is in Virginia today speaking before the Virginia Military Academy regarding his foreign policy and national security ideas. Excerpts from the speech were released by the campaign to journalists and news outlets. Jennifer Rubin of The Washington Post shares some of the highlights:

“The attacks on America last month should not be seen as random acts. They are expressions of a larger struggle that is playing out across the broader Middle East — a region that is now in the midst of the most profound upheaval in a century. And the fault lines of this struggle can be seen clearly in Benghazi itself.”

“The attack on our Consulate in Benghazi on September 11th, 2012 was likely the work of the same forces that attacked our homeland on September 11th, 2001. This latest assault cannot be blamed on a reprehensible video insulting Islam, despite the Administration’s attempts to convince us of that for so long. No, as the Administration has finally conceded, these attacks were the deliberate work of terrorists who use violence to impose their dark ideology on others, especially women and girls; who are fighting to control much of the Middle East today; and who seek to wage perpetual war on the West.”

“It is time to change course in the Middle East.”

“I will put the leaders of Iran on notice that the United States and our friends and allies will prevent them from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. I will not hesitate to impose new sanctions on Iran, and will tighten the sanctions we currently have. I will restore the permanent presence of aircraft carrier task forces in both the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf region — and work with Israel to increase our military assistance and coordination. For the sake of peace, we must make clear to Iran through actions — not just words — that their nuclear pursuit will not be tolerated.”

“I believe that if America does not lead, others will — others who do not share our interests and our values — and the world will grow darker, for our friends and for us. America’s security and the cause of freedom cannot afford four more years like the last four years. I am running for President because I believe the leader of the free world has a duty, to our citizens, and to our friends everywhere, to use America’s great influence — wisely, with solemnity and without false pride, but also firmly and actively — to shape events in ways that secure our interests, further our values, prevent conflict, and make the world better — not perfect, but better.”

As Rubin points out Mitt Romney’s foreign policy stance is closely aligned with the policies of most recent former Presidents with the exception of Jimmy Carter and, of course, Barack Obama who adopted a confusing open hand policy of appeasement and aggression. Yet his policy falls short of the Bush approach to “…support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world.”

A few thoughts:

Our special forces are dismayed by this administration: “We have become a political weapon — we are not”… “Our job is to be silent professionals — we do not seek recognition; we do not seek popularity … to make things public is wrong … As a citizen it is my civic duty to tell the president to stop leaking information to the enemy; it will get Americans killed.” – former Navy SEAL Benjamin Smith.

According to a recent poll from the Military Times Mitt Romney has a 40-point lead over President Obama among active and reserve service members.

The administration has been widely criticized regarding the attacks at our consulate in Benghazi. “People died our administration lied” is a condemning refrain. Eli Lake: “Within 24 hours of the 9-11 anniversary attack on the United States consulate in Benghazi, U.S. intelligence agencies had strong indications al Qaeda-affiliated operatives were behind the attack, and had even pinpointed the location of one of those attackers.”

President Obama has been less than friendly to many of our traditional allies. Obama has a very contentious relationship with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Derek Burney, former Canadian ambassador to the United States, said of President Obama’s rejection of the Keystone XL oil pipeline that it, “…brought U.S.-Canadian relations to their lowest point in decades.” Early in his presidency Obama cancelled longstanding missile-defense plans for Czechoslovakia and Poland marring the relationship we shared with these countries built on the principles of freedom. The British are not at all pleased that President Obama has failed to back British sovereignty in the Falkland Islands. Mexico is offended by the Fast and Furious scandal in which guns were delivered to drug cartels without informing or seeking the involvement of the Mexican government. The list of foreign policy missteps and failures goes on.

The next presidential debate should be lively if foreign policy questions are part of the mix…at least it will be if President Obama can adequately defend his foreign policy position and record.