Public Employee Press

2012 ELECTION
Danger at home, danger abroad
Beware the Republican response to Wars and foreign policy

We will always support and cherish our men and women in uniform who defend our liberties with their lives." So reads the text of the platform adopted by the Republicans at their convention. But Romney's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention made no mention of the war that has lasted over 10 years and in which approximately 80,000 American troops are still embroiled. While President Obama has pledged to withdraw troops by 2014, Romney has expressed the conviction that American troops should have an unlimited exposure in Afghanistan.

The platform points to certain vague principles for guidance on world leadership, such as, "Trust the people. Limit government." Yet Romney's plan for the Pentagon violates his self-portrait as a budget cutter when it comes to the defense budget. His proposal would add more than $2 trillion in defense spending over the next 10 years. This is in clear contradiction to his proposals to cut taxes, reduce the debt and strengthen the economy.

On matters of foreign policy, Romney is off-kilter. He has labeled Russia as America's "No. 1 geopolitical foe." Several of his recent attacks on President Obama have backfired, such as when he hastened to get his statement out about the attack on the American diplomatic post in Libya even before all the facts were known. Foreign policy experts have called his statements "hasty," "ham-handed," "inaccurate" and "ineffective." Chuck Todd of NBC called Romney's statement "irresponsible" and a "bad mistake."

A foreign policy expert writing in the New York Times said that Romney "should go beyond clichés" and "get specific" about his tactical approach to Syria, Egypt, Iran and Israel. "He has derided Mr. Obama's handling of foreign policy (notably on Iran and Israel) with overheated rhetoric but only vague hints at alternatives," wrote Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and an expert on Middle East and South Asia foreign policy.

—Jane LaTour

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