Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Romney on Russia: Then and Now

Remember this?  Obama to Romney: “Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy [...] every time you've offered an opinion, you've been wrong.”



Today, as the world watches, Putin returns to the 80's, and the Obama crew talk tough. Everybody and their dog is offering up opinions on the current (and oh so predictable) events in Crimea, so it is no surprise that the Republican presidential nominee from 2012 now has an op/ed in Washington Street Journal:

Romney: The Price of Failed Leadership

The President's failure to act when action was possible has diminished respect for the U.S. and made troubles worse.


By


Why are there no good choices? From Crimea to North Korea, from Syria to Egypt, and from Iraq to Afghanistan, America apparently has no good options. If possession is nine-tenths of the law, Russia owns Crimea and all we can do is sanction and disinvite—and wring our hands. 

Iran is following North Korea's nuclear path, but it seems that we can only entreat Iran to sign the same kind of agreement North Korea once signed, undoubtedly with the same result.

Our tough talk about a red line in Syria prompted Vladimir Putin's sleight of hand, leaving the chemicals and killings much as they were. We say Bashar Assad must go, but aligning with his al Qaeda-backed opposition is an unacceptable option.

And how can it be that Iraq and Afghanistan each refused to sign the status-of-forces agreement with us—with the very nation that shed the blood of thousands of our bravest for them? 

Why, across the world, are America's hands so tied?

A large part of the answer is our leader's terrible timing. In virtually every foreign-affairs crisis we have faced these past five years, there was a point when America had good choices and good options...

  

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