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Old 2012-10-14, 06:05   Link #1355
DonQuigleone
Knight Errant
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Age: 35
My problem with Romney is that I don't know who he is or what he stands for. The man is an enigma, it's impossible to pin him down to anything. He simultaneously believes in everything, and nothing. I suppose he stands for what is politically expedient.

The only thing he's been consistent on is foreign policy, and as far as I can tell his policy is to use American strength to get whatever it wants everywhere. This, to me, is just bullying. America is blessed with having many natural allies (unlike Russia or China...), and taking that kind of approach is just going to drive them away from you. Look at Bush (who took such an approach), he drove a wedge between America and France and Germany, a big risk to take. Not only that, but of the allies that stuck with him, large sections of their populaces were completely against all of it (particularly in Britain). If you want to shape the world, you don't do it by making enemies.

Under Mitt Romney, I could easily see him unilaterally invading even more countries.

Obama did it right, when he went into Libya, he did it with the full backing of the rest of NATO, meaning that America's share of the fighting was much smaller. The full force of the militaries of Europe were brought to bear, ultimately making for a short conflict. Furthermore, those European states were best placed to work with the new Libyan government going into the future. Now compare that to Iraq.

The United States led by Obama has been pretty popular, and this popularity increases the power of the US as a whole. Obama has done it right.


The problem I see Obama having is Hubris, a big weakness, and responsible I think for many of his failures. You could see his Hubris in the first debate, and I think the 2008 election may have played a big part in it. After the 2008 he may have felt he was granted such a decisive mandate that he failed to plan for any of the difficulties he ended out facing. He was too heady with victory.

Here's hoping he learns to eat humble pie.
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