Romney outlines “tough” foreign policy approach
To date, Mitt Romney’s critique of the Obama foreign policy has been a case study of bluster over content, without specifics, although the presence of men such as John Bolton, the shoot-first former U.N. ambassador, as influential members of his foreign policy team ought to give Americans serious pause.
In fact, if we are to judge him from the tone of his rhetoric and by those whose counsel he seeks — and that’s about all he has given us to go on — Romney proposes to pick up where Dick Cheney left off in 2004, when a chastened President Bush belatedly took back control of foreign policy from his over-adventurous vice president.
I note that in his speech today at the Virginia Military Institute (text available here), Romney blamed the Obama administration for differences of opinion that have erupted between the United States and Israel.
“The world must never see any daylight between our two nations,” Romney said.
However, I do not believe it is our responsibility alone to ensure that such daylight never occurs. Israeli leaders bear at least equal responsibility for keeping that important relationship on an even keel. We are certainly under no obligation to outsource our foreign policy in that region to Benjamin Netanyahu, as Romney seems to advocate.
(In fact, if forced to synthesize the Romney Doctrine to one sentence, I might offer this: The rest of the world will be required to abide by our wishes; we will be required to abide by Israel’s).
Romney also spoke, as he has in the past, of a foreign policy based on confidence, clarity and resolve. These are good and necessary things. Unfortunately, the man’s credibility in preaching these virtues is more than a little suspect. You may recall that earlier this year, as an uprising in Libya gained strength, Romney first supported U.S. intervention and then opposed intervention and then embraced it again once it had succeeded. At one point, he even fled reporters in Las Vegas rather than be forced to take a position on the crisis.
Likewise, he harshly criticized the goal of removing Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddhafi from power, then turned around celebrated once that goal was achieved.
That is not a policy based on resolve. Likewise, Romney’s outrageous claim that President Obama sympathized with those who attacked and killed our ambassador to Libya and three others — a statement issued on the very night of their deaths — communicated not mature confidence but hasty, amateurish desperation and an eagerness to inject partisan politics in foreign-policy decisions.
I am most curious about his policy toward Afghanistan. Here’s what Romney had to say:
“… in Afghanistan, I will pursue a real and successful transition to Afghan security forces by the end of 2014. President Obama would have you believe that anyone who disagrees with his decisions in Afghanistan is arguing for endless war. But the route to more war — and to potential attacks here at home — is a politically timed retreat that abandons the Afghan people to the same extremists who ravaged their country and used it to launch the attacks of 9/11. I will evaluate conditions on the ground and weigh the best advice of our military commanders. And I will affirm that my duty is not to my political prospects, but to the security of the nation.”
Now, I would suggest that those are odd words from a man who just preached the necessity of clarity in foreign policy. Take a look again — do those words tell us anything about Romney’s approach to Afghanistan, or how it might differ in concrete terms from that undertaken by Obama?
Finally, Romney not only suggested that he would oppose any cuts in defense spending, he advocated what would appear to be a new military buildup. That is consistent with his pledge to commit a minimum of 4 percent of GDP to defense spending. By 2014, that would mean a $200-billion-a-year increase in spending over currently projected levels.
Given our financial situation, a 33 percent increase in projected defense spending at a time when we already spend more than the next 10 biggest military powers combined would not seem to be a wise investment. And again — although Romney continues to be painfully averse to specifics — in general the GOP candidate would seem pretty eager to put that larger military to regular use overseas.
– Jay Bookman
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1,169 comments Add your comment
Moderate Line
October 8th, 2012
12:21 pm
It is always is interesting when pundits focus on policy differences and flip flops when I think in general the electorate really doesn’t care. I am not saying they shouldn’t care but that is just the way it is. 92% of the electorate has already made up it’s mind before the election starts.
Instead, it gets down to the fact that the least informed voters hold the most political power–the independent, swing voters. Roughly 80 percent of the vote is locked in to one party or the other, which is where you will find most of the well-informed citizens who get the big picture and support a party for solid reasons. However, the 20 percent in the middle are not well informed, do not have strong opinions, and oftentimes hold contradictory views. They determine the winners, so campaigns are all about appealing to them. This means few specific proposals and lots of happy talk about our glorious past. Jay Cost, Weekly Standard
Even though Jay Cost is a partisan like Jay Bookman I believe he is correct. Jay Cost also points out most incumbents who win rarely gets specific.
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/morning-jay-dont-expect-romney-get-specific_648483.html?page=1
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 8th, 2012
12:21 pm
Hi Paul!! did you see the ciabatta recipe yesterday?
Goldie
October 8th, 2012
12:21 pm
Romney is offering the same ole Neo-con agenda as Dubya — we certainly don’t need those nightmares anymore!
Obama/Biden 2012!
stands for decibels
October 8th, 2012
12:22 pm
With Mitt, the world’s leaders know that if they don’t like what he’s said on a given day, they can always try again some other day and get a policy that they do like.
So he’s got that going for him.
Paul
October 8th, 2012
12:22 pm
Mighty Righty
I was going to ask you to back up any of those assertions with real examples, but I thought this might be more helpful:
http://tinyurl.com/y2eak5
RF
October 8th, 2012
12:23 pm
“I don’t get it…Bibi and Barack are in lockstep.”
josef: I can’t figure that one either.
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:23 pm
td — “We as a nation either supports Israel or we support the Muslim extremist.”
Bulldada. False binary.
JamVet
October 8th, 2012
12:23 pm
Destroy our friendship with Israel.
Liar.
You crazy evan cons and Republifundies cough up that nonsense all the time, but any Hebe worth his weight in Dead Sea salt knows that you are FOS…
stands for decibels
October 8th, 2012
12:25 pm
ok, so I was cruising the News.google for some foreign policy headlines, and came upon this:
Philippines and MILF Propose Peace Deal
Let’s just say I was sorely disappointed.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 8th, 2012
12:26 pm
Paul – I’ll see your 12:22 and raise you one
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx11t.htm
Paul
October 8th, 2012
12:26 pm
USinUK
Yes… and the weather here just turned perfect for it!
Your website does a fine job of sending them direct to my email. There’s a special folder just for you.
I mean, for your recipes. ’cause you’d never fit into the folder. Well… maybe in an existential way…
Moderate Line
October 8th, 2012
12:27 pm
Romney’s goal in his foreign policy statements is not to differentiated himself from Obama but to make himself look like he can competently handle foreign policy issues. Romney’s main goal is to make the election by economics and to make himself to be a viable alternative to Obama. Obama’s main goal is to make Romney to not appear to be a viable alternative which was working up until the debate. Even though the economy has not recovered Obama’s main strength is his likability. If he was unlikable he would be toast by now.
josef
October 8th, 2012
12:27 pm
RF
What I don’t get is the hooplah that there’s some great rift between the US and Israel. I do understand why they’re in lockstep…it’s in both states’ best interest and they pretty much see things through the same prism.
BRW
October 8th, 2012
12:27 pm
td, You would know a lot about “Pure BS……..” It’s what you do best.
bman
October 8th, 2012
12:28 pm
“With Mitt, the world’s leaders know that if they don’t like what he’s said on a given day, they can always try again some other day and get a policy that they do like.”
haha …
MANGLER
October 8th, 2012
12:28 pm
Well of course we need to stay in Afghanistan, provoke Iran, and throw eggs at Russia out of the blue. Otherwise we wouldn’t need to increase defense spending and help the Hallibuddies and Bainiebabbies.
td
October 8th, 2012
12:28 pm
” know the President hopes for a safer, freer, and a more prosperous Middle East allied with the United States. I share this hope. But hope is not a strategy. We cannot support our friends and defeat our enemies in the Middle East when our words are not backed up by deeds, when our defense spending is being arbitrarily and deeply cut, when we have no trade agenda to speak of, and the perception of our strategy is not one of partnership, but of passivity.”
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-foreign-policy-speech-vmi-obama-virginia-military-institute-libya-2012-10#ixzz28j367JiX
Paul
October 8th, 2012
12:28 pm
USinUK 12:26
Yeah, we’re into multiple causation here -
moonbat betty (from the pit of hell)
October 8th, 2012
12:28 pm
Happy Columbus Day!
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:29 pm
td — “Romney: Walk softly and carry a big stick.”
If Romney had a big stick in the first place, he’d have enlisted for ‘Nam.
Aquagirl
October 8th, 2012
12:30 pm
I do understand why they’re in lockstep…it’s in both states’ best interest and they pretty much see things through the same prism.
Pffft. From your opinion it’s obvious you’re one of those FAKE Jews.
Paul
October 8th, 2012
12:30 pm
josef
Enjoying the day off?
“What I don’t get is the hooplah that there’s some great rift between the US and Israel”
See, there’s this thing called an ‘election’ and these people who’ll invent anything to get rid of the Pres -
the cat
October 8th, 2012
12:30 pm
Having this idiot and lyingryan in range of a red phone scares the crap out of me.
JamVet
October 8th, 2012
12:31 pm
…when our defense spending is being arbitrarily and deeply cut…
Liars quoting liars.
Hysterical…
moonbat betty (from the pit of hell)
October 8th, 2012
12:32 pm
Mitt will keep our enemies on their toes.
Obama will send them our itinerary with specific dates and actions so they will be well prepared.
detritusUSA
October 8th, 2012
12:32 pm
You people who criticize Mr Romneys children for not serving in the military need to look in the mirror. If you or your children haven’t served then keep your mouth closed because most citizens in this country haven’t served.
td
October 8th, 2012
12:32 pm
Here are a few specifics some of you were looking for:
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 will reaffirm our historic ties to Israel and our abiding commitment to its security—the world must never see any daylight between our two nations.
I will deepen our critical cooperation with our partners in the Gulf.
And I will roll back President Obama’s deep and arbitrary cuts to our national defense that would devastate our military. I will make the critical defense investments that we need to remain secure. The decisions we make today will determine our ability to protect America tomorrow. The first purpose of a strong military is to prevent war.
The size of our Navy is at levels not seen since 1916. I will restore our Navy to the size needed to fulfill our missions by building 15 ships per year, including three submarines. I will implement effective missile defenses to protect against threats. And on this, there will be no flexibility with Vladimir Putin. And I will call on our NATO allies to keep the greatest military alliance in history strong by honoring their commitment to each devote 2 percent of their GDP to security spending. Today, only 3 of the 28 NATO nations meet this benchmark.
I will make further reforms to our foreign assistance to create incentives for good governance, free enterprise, and greater trade, in the Middle East and beyond. I will organize all assistance efforts in the greater Middle East under one official with responsibility and accountability to prioritize efforts and produce results. I will rally our friends and allies to match our generosity with theirs. And I will make it clear to the recipients of our aid that, in return for our material support, they must meet the responsibilities of every decent modern government—to respect the rights of all of their citizens, including women and minorities… to ensure space for civil society, a free media, political parties, and an independent judiciary… and to abide by their international commitments to protect our diplomats and our property.
I will champion free trade and restore it as a critical element of our strategy, both in the Middle East and across the world. The President has not signed one new free trade agreement in the past four years. I will reverse that failure. I will work with nations around the world that are committed to the principles of free enterprise, expanding existing relationships and establishing new ones.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/mitt-romney-foreign-policy-speech-vmi-obama-virginia-military-institute-libya-2012-10#ixzz28j4Cf17G
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 8th, 2012
12:33 pm
“Let’s just say I was sorely disappointed.”
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:33 pm
“Since when did you care about women’s rights and religious freedom? Still voting Republican this year? THEN YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT EITHER OF THOSE THINGS.”
Not intended to be a factual statement
RF
October 8th, 2012
12:33 pm
josef: I’m not saying we don’t owe Israel support and defense, but where’s the balance as to how those decisions are made? Conservatives seem to think it’s carte blanche to do whatever Israel dictates, and I’m not sure that’s the best way to deal with the region necessarily.
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:33 pm
detritusUSA — “You people who criticize Mr Romneys children for not serving in the military need to look in the mirror. If you or your children haven’t served then keep your mouth closed because most citizens in this country haven’t served.”
Eff you. I’m a disabled Army veteran, Champ.
Peter
October 8th, 2012
12:33 pm
Republican’s carry a big stick.then don’t pay when they use it ! Iraq war is the latest example…..
JF McNamara
October 8th, 2012
12:33 pm
I could personally care less about Israel. They are a sovereign nation. They can do what they want to do. We’re the super power. They are not. It’s their job to follow us. Not the other way around.
He’s going to touch off another cold war with Russia over Syria? Really, Syria? It’s a country that I’d assess that less than half of the citizens of the United States could identify on a map and that we will gain nothing from whether the rebels win or not. It’s not our problem.
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:34 pm
“If Romney had a big stick in the first place, he’d have enlisted for ‘Nam.”
Like Clinton and Obama and Biden did.
Oh wait………………………………..
JamVet
October 8th, 2012
12:34 pm
cat, no worries.
Flip and Eddie will never get the chance to even see that phone…
josef
October 8th, 2012
12:34 pm
Moonbat
“Happy Columbus Day!”
“To you and your peg-legged Grandma!”
–Thomas Jefferson Unmentionable
Two Parties, One Con (Welcome)
October 8th, 2012
12:34 pm
td: “Obama: Walk softly and carry a limp stick.”
Cuz we like our leaders phallic!
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:35 pm
td — “Here are a few specifics some of you were looking for: ”
Not seeing any apologies or appeasement in any of that. Maybe you just *think* it consists of apologies and appeasement because it doesn’t read like HULK SMASH.
USMC
October 8th, 2012
12:35 pm
“Hope and Change” is NOT a PLAN!
Obama has NO Plan!
by the way, HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY everyone!
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 8th, 2012
12:35 pm
“The size of our Navy is at levels not seen since 1916. I will restore our Navy to the size needed to fulfill our missions by building 15 ships per year, including three submarines.”
AND give us tax cuts … and a pony!!!
Paul
October 8th, 2012
12:36 pm
td
“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”
How is this any different than what the Obama Administration has done?
Are you even aware of the history of sanctions and the currency devaluation they’ve experienced in the past couple of weeks?
” 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.”
Any idea what the JCS recommends about a ‘permanent presence’ and how it limits options elsewhere?
“I will deepen our critical cooperation with our partners in the Gulf. ”
What partners? How?
I could go on, but it’d be the same questions in response to the standard boilerplate sound tough statements.
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:36 pm
Joe Hussein is so impressed with military service. I’m sure he voted for George H. Bush over Clinton, for Bob Dole over Clinton, For George W. Bush over Al Gore, for John McCain over Obama, etc…
JamVet
October 8th, 2012
12:36 pm
Like Clinton and Obama and Biden did.
Is it just me or is there a very noticeable “omission” in there?
(And on what list would Benji’s name appear?)
LOL
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:36 pm
B. Shockley — “Like Clinton and Obama and Biden did. Oh wait………………………………..”
Clinton and Obama and Biden aren’t talking smack about being Tough Guys (TM) like Romney is.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
October 8th, 2012
12:36 pm
…then keep your mouth closed…
I ain’t got kids, sport and you don’t get to determine what I spout off about.
BRW
October 8th, 2012
12:37 pm
detritusUSA = shrimp sh*t, Give me the right to send Mitt’s kids and I’ll consider letting him send mine……..
ByteMe - Thugs vs. Ilk... in 3D!
October 8th, 2012
12:37 pm
Foreign Policy Speech …
Finally, I will recommit America to the goal of a democratic, prosperous Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the Jewish state of Israel. On this vital issue, the President has failed, and what should be a negotiation process has devolved into a series of heated disputes at the United Nations. In this old conflict, as in every challenge we face in the Middle East, only a new President will bring the chance to begin anew.
Private Fundraiser …
“I look at the Palestinians not wanting to see peace anyway, for political purposes, committed to the destruction and elimination of Israel, and these thorny issues, and I say there’s just no way … the Palestinians have no interest whatsoever in establishing peace and that the pathway to peace is almost unthinkable to accomplish … [S]o what you do is, you say, you move things along the best way you can. You hope for some degree of stability, but you recognize that this is going to remain an unsolved problem…and we kick the ball down the field and hope that ultimately, somehow, something will happen and resolve it.”
What a two-faced con. Saying anything to get elected. Romney does not deserve to become President and cons supporting this fool are the problem with this country.
ByteMe - Thugs vs. Ilk... in 3D!
October 8th, 2012
12:37 pm
Oh, h/t to TPM for the quotes.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 8th, 2012
12:37 pm
“Like Clinton and Obama and Biden did.”
um – Obama was 14 when Nam ended in 1975 … you might want to rethink that.
Pizzaman
October 8th, 2012
12:38 pm
For those of us who have seen the Repub’s “quest” for war but their “obsession” not to fight this is no surprise.
Willard organized a pro-draft rally at Stanford in 1966. I admire that. Then he dodged the draft in 1968 and went on a Mormon mission to the Bordeaux region of France. He was not eligible for the deferment he got.
He’s just like Bush and Cheney. Not willing to fight but willing to sent our Son’s and Daughter’s to.
Mitt! If you send more troops to Afghanistan or Syria or Iran who many of your Sons will fight. My guess: 0
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:38 pm
Shockley — “Joe Hussein is so impressed with military service. I’m sure he voted for George H. Bush over Clinton, for Bob Dole over Clinton, For George W. Bush over Al Gore, for John McCain over Obama, etc…”
Didn’t vote for Cinton. Either time.
Didn’t vote for Bush the Younger. Or Gore.
And McCain’s got a lousy Senate voting record when it comes to veterans’ issues.
A whisper in Medvedev's ear
October 8th, 2012
12:38 pm
Obama – tell Mr. Putin that he will have much more control over our foreign policy in his region as soon as I am re-elected. Only a fool.
josef
October 8th, 2012
12:38 pm
detrius
Mine serve. His don’t. So, there…
Aquagirl…
PAUL
Yeah, but it’s a furlough day, so no pennies…
RF
They don’t dictate our foreign policy and we don’t dictate theirs. We just happen to be on the same page.
Paul
October 8th, 2012
12:39 pm
“The size of our Navy is at levels not seen since 1916″
typical noncomprehension. As if numbers of ships and the size of individual ships is directly related to capability when measured against the situation 100 years ago.
Sad.
Cosby
October 8th, 2012
12:39 pm
We have anminastration that is clueless on anytihng and again Jay loves to downgrade Mitt who is at least thinking. We have an ambassador to the UN who still believes the Syrian Embassey was the outrage over some movie trailer that no one saw. We have an administration telling our enemy’s when troops will be removed almost like telling the oppo0sing team do not worry we will leave in the fourth quarter, we have an administration who wonts to disolve the military. Hell, at least romney is thinking and not appearing on David Letterman…yep keep backing the muslim marist in the White house Jay, and you will find yourself dead or praying to meca….the middle east has always been in trumoil, but look what the last four years has produced in the middle east…makes Carter look like he knew something..
Aquagirl
October 8th, 2012
12:40 pm
If you or your children haven’t served then keep your mouth closed because most citizens in this country haven’t served.
I heartily endorse JHM’s comment, honeybunch.
I personally don’t criticize people who think NO ONE should be overseas, including them or their children. The @$$holes who want to talk tough and then send somebody else? Eff them, the horse they rode in on, and their Chickenhawk Barcalounger.
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:40 pm
Libs seem not to understand that today’s military is a totally volunteer force. If your kids don’t want to go, they shouldn’t join.
Seems pretty simple.
JamVet
October 8th, 2012
12:41 pm
Benji, so you voted for John Kerry?
Wow.
RF
October 8th, 2012
12:41 pm
“And I will roll back President Obama’s deep and arbitrary cuts to our national defense that would devastate our military. I will make the critical defense investments that we need to remain secure.”
How deep and arbitrary are those cuts? At a time when every government agency and department has had to face cuts, why should defense be spared? How can you prove that defense cuts will make us any less secure? And quote specific line items that will weaken us please. I’m sick and tired of the rhetoric about a strong defense. What exactly does that cost?
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
October 8th, 2012
12:42 pm
“I look at the Palestinians not wanting to see peace anyway…
Exactly like the 47% comment.
ByteMe - Thugs vs. Ilk... in 3D!
October 8th, 2012
12:42 pm
Libs seem not to understand that today’s military is a totally volunteer force. If your kids don’t want to go, they shouldn’t join.
And cons seem completely disconnected from the notion that just because we have the most awesome volunteer military force on the planet that it can’t solve every problem. And that if they had more skin in the game, cons might be more judicious about using military force to solve every problem. Instead, at the first sign of trouble, they are happy to send someone else’s kid to die.
BRW
October 8th, 2012
12:42 pm
Cosby, You got a trerrific GOP edu-macation didn’t you?
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:42 pm
Vast majority of the people in our military today are proud to serve and believe in their mission. Liberals don’t seem to grasp that.
josef
October 8th, 2012
12:42 pm
td
I was going to respond point by point on that one, but others are doing a better job than I would…
TaxPayer
October 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
um – Obama was 14 when Nam ended in 1975 … you might want to rethink that.
That would imply original thought, would it not.
ByteMe - Thugs vs. Ilk... in 3D!
October 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
Exactly like the 47% comment.
You mean it’s an “inartful” way of saying the Palistinians deserve their own state?
GT
October 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
The economic issues Romney has campaigned on are the failed policies of Obama, and if he didn’t have enough material he will lie a little more about O His whole answer to all this is he, Romney, can do better.
I saw the quarterback for the Falcons miss several passes yesterday, threw them to high, but knowing why he missed the passes doesn’t make me a quarterback, and sure enough giving four quarters the Falcons won. That would not have been the results if I had taken over, as quarterback.
Foreign policy unlike economic policy doesn’t have a lot of shared materials. When you step to the microphone on that subject you may be the mother in law interfering where your help is not needed. McCain had some license because he knew what he was talking about, chairing several committees in the Senate. Romney, like Perry, amazes me he is trying to court Israel. He is scoring so easy with the red states he has lost his senses. Smart people don’t buy the lies like the red meat crowd he runs with, they know when the real shooting starts the flip flopper is the first man out the door.
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
B. Shockley — “Libs seem not to understand that today’s military is a totally volunteer force. If your kids don’t want to go, they shouldn’t join.”
Cons don’t seem to get that if you don’t have the stones to volunteer, then you shouldn’t talk and act like you’re tough.
Ken
October 8th, 2012
12:43 pm
Romney won’t bow down. Romney won’t apologise for our success.
lovelyliz
October 8th, 2012
12:44 pm
Since when has it become the responsibility of the US taxpayer to fund and the US servicemebers to die to keep the defense contractors rolling in our dough?
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:44 pm
JamVet
October 8th, 2012
12:41 pm
“Benji, so you voted for John Kerry?”
“Wow.”
Umm, no, I’m not hte one suggesting that a background of military service is a pre-requisite for being president. That would be the libs.
Reading comprehension is key, Jammypoo……
Paul
October 8th, 2012
12:44 pm
RF
“At a time when every government agency and department has had to face cuts, why should defense be spared?”
Because there are a LOT of middle-class and upper middle class and upper class people employed in the Defense industry who think they are entitled to those jobs and that government owes them a living. You know – that whole 47% thing.
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:44 pm
B. Shockley — “Vast majority of the people in our military today are proud to serve and believe in their mission. Liberals don’t seem to grasp that.”
The vast majority of servicemembers and veterans are quite capable of speaking for themselves. Cons don’t seem to grasp that.
Mick
October 8th, 2012
12:45 pm
ben
You seem to think that you know liberals very well but from reading your posts and one dimensional thoughts, you are woefully ignorant…which makes you a charter member of the conned…
BRW
October 8th, 2012
12:45 pm
Ken, Like the success of killing OBL??????
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:45 pm
“Exactly like the 47% comment.”
Kammyspam
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 8th, 2012
12:45 pm
“That would imply original thought, would it not.”
frankly, I’m surprised they didn’t condemn him for getting a student deferrment for middle school
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:46 pm
“The vast majority of servicemembers and veterans are quite capable of speaking for themselves. ”
And when they speak, they support the mission and are proud to serve.
RF
October 8th, 2012
12:46 pm
“They don’t dictate our foreign policy and we don’t dictate theirs. We just happen to be on the same page.”
True, and we’ve pretty much always been that way to some extent. I guess I’m wondering if that’s the best policy of late. Me thinks Israel wants a war with Iran, partly because they know they have the US military support pretty much guaranteed. That doesn’t put us in a good situation either way. If we support them, we get into another long, drawn out war. If we don’t, we lose our best ally in the region, and that’s important to keep. Based on our sync with them right now, do you think we’d fully support them attacking Iran if they decided they needed to do that?
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 8th, 2012
12:46 pm
“Umm, no, I’m not hte one suggesting that a background of military service is a pre-requisite for being president. That would be the libs.”
wow. reading comprehension isn’t your strong suit, is it?
getalife
October 8th, 2012
12:46 pm
mitt does not have a foreign policy or domestic policy.
They change daily so why listen to him.
I have no doubt he will be worse than the w disaster and our country will collapse.
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
B. Shockley — “And when they speak, they support the mission and are proud to serve.”
Evidence that Shockley’s neither a servicemember nor a veteran, though he tries to speak for us.
USMC
October 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
More Bad News for the Obama Campaign….
Report: Obama.com Vulnerable to Illegal Foreign Campaign Donations
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/10/08/Report-Illegal-Foreign-Campaign-Donations-Assault-on-American-Sovereignty
RF
October 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
@Paul: and a lot of private contractors with billion dollar contracts facing leaner times of we cut defense spending too. Whatever would Cheney do if his precious investments lost money because defense contracts were cut?
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:47 pm
“Cons don’t seem to get that if you don’t have the stones to volunteer, then you shouldn’t talk and act like you’re tough.”
I guess Clinton and Obama’s didn’t get the memo.
josef
October 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
COSBY
“We have an ambassador to the UN who still believes the Syrian Embassey was the outrage over some movie trailer that no one saw.”
Well, let’s hope that your candidate at least knows the difference between Syria and Libya!
clem
October 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
when romoney’s sons join the military and folks like dan senor and john bolton, bill kristol et al actually have some skin in game then i might listen
getalife
October 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
“That is not my plan”
“I have no idea what you are talking about.”
mitt romney’s policies.
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
B. Shockley — “Umm, no, I’m not hte one suggesting that a background of military service is a pre-requisite for being president. That would be the libs.”
Reading comprehension FAIL.
“Reading comprehension is key, Jammypoo……”
And you’re not very good at it, though I suspect your failure was intentional.
td
October 8th, 2012
12:48 pm
RF
October 8th, 2012
12:33 pm
josef: I’m not saying we don’t owe Israel support and defense, but where’s the balance as to how those decisions are made?
And there is the major difference between Conservatives and Libs. Conservatives know that all Arabs have said since the 1946 that there main goal is to drive Israel back into the sea. This has not changed and it is still their number 1 goal. Libs think with an evenhanded approach that their minds can be changed and that Israel will have to be willing to give and give.
It is not going to happen and it is our nations duty to protect Gods chosen people 100% and the Muslims need to understand that we will destroy every one of their countries if they attack Israel.
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:49 pm
“Evidence that Shockley’s neither a servicemember nor a veteran, though he tries to speak for us.”
Apparently you don’t have the intellectual capacity to differentiate speaking for someone from re-stating what you have heard people say for themselves.
JamVet
October 8th, 2012
12:49 pm
Umm, no, I’m not hte one suggesting that a background of military service is a pre-requisite (sic) for being president. That would be the libs.
Examples, please.
(This should be fun.)
USMC
October 8th, 2012
12:49 pm
Snoop Dogg Posts Reasons to Vote Obama: ‘Michelle Got a Fat A$$’
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2012/10/06/Snoop-Dogg-Shares-Reason-to-Vote-Obama-Michelle-Got-a-Fat-A
You gotta love Snoop Dog!
Joe Hussein Mama
October 8th, 2012
12:49 pm
B. Shockley — “I guess Clinton and Obama’s didn’t get the memo.”
It’s for certain that Romney, Ryan and Bolton didn’t.
liberalefty
October 8th, 2012
12:50 pm
chickenhawks loooove ROMNEY
Paul
October 8th, 2012
12:50 pm
USMC
Discussed that one this morning. It’s a pretty weak stab by a group trying to make people think they’re the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
’s what happens when one reposts stuff without reading and thinking about it -
BRW
October 8th, 2012
12:51 pm
Ben, You make it so easy to want to vote for Obama. Please, keep up the good work……
Look before I leap...
October 8th, 2012
12:51 pm
I am sure that Bin Laden and the 80% of Al Qaeda leadership who are currently rotting in the ground are very appreciative of Obama’s support of Muslim extremists and his policy of appeasement.
Paul
October 8th, 2012
12:52 pm
RF
“Whatever would Cheney do if his precious investments lost money because defense contracts were cut?”
Invite the Congressional leaders who came up with the sequestration idea to join him on a hunting trip?
Out for lunch -
Ben Shockley
October 8th, 2012
12:52 pm
“Ben, You make it so easy to want to vote for Obama”
PLEASE vote for Obama. We don’t need or want people like you on our side.