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.
Our friends and allies across the globe do not want less American leadership. They want more—more of our moral support, more of our security cooperation, more of our trade, and more of our assistance in building free societies and thriving economies. So many people across the world still look to America as the best hope of humankind. So many people still have faith in America. We must show them that we still have faith in ourselves—that we have the will and the wisdom to revive our stagnant economy, to roll back our unsustainable debt, to reform our government, to reverse the catastrophic cuts now threatening our national defense, to renew the sources of our great power, and to lead the course of human events.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_0M0g2rSm4[/youtube]
Uh huh. And just how many additional billions or trillions are we talking here?
I’ve long held that a militarily inferior adversary can eventually defeat us by bleeding us dry, simply by luring us into military involvements in places where no decisive victory is ultimately possible. It takes a leader with a certain mindset on our own side of the equation to make that possible. Mitt Romney is beginning to sound like just such a person.
Not long ago, thoughtful republicans were asking, “Just who are these Libyan rebels?” Has anyone on the republican side asked Mr. Romney that same question about the Syrians?
Complete BS. The world doesn’t need or want a “leader”.
Being a “leader” isn’t the key to our national survival, nor is being “loved”. It doesn’t matter one iota what other nations think or feel about us so long as they fear us, with every fiber of their being. That and that alone keeps strong nations safe.
@Greg:
Who are the Syrian rebels? You’re joshing, right? Or do you really don’t know? Ummm, you really don’t know.
But it is pretty clear to a lot of people that the Free Syrian Army has just become an arm of al Qaeda. Just as the Libyan rebels, who Obama supported, are an arm of AQ. Just as Obama supported Egypt’s uprising, without knowing who the rebels actually were, although we have now learned they were fueled by the Muslim Brotherhood, he now supports the Syrian rebels.
Obama was on the wrong side of the Honduras, he had been on the wrong side of every issue in the Middle East.
You should be ashamed to support a president who has been consistantly wrong on every issue concerning American national security.
you need a LEADER, THE RIGHT ONE WHO DEDICATE HIS PRESIDENCY TO AMERICA,
and instead of sending billions of dollars to buy the haters, this NEW LEADER WILL
MAKE THE MILITARY STRONG INSTEAD WITH THAT MONEY, LIKE MITT ROMNEY SAID STRONG ENOUGH THAT NO ONE WILL THINK
OF ATTACKING IT, EVER
MITT ROMNEY WILL BE THE PROTECTOR OF AMERICA,
INSTEAD OF PROTECTING THE HATERS AND DO LIKE OBAMA REFUSE TO PROVIDE SOLID SECURITY AT THE MANY REQUESTS FROM THE AMBASSADOR AND THE SEALS WHO DEFENDED THEIR GROUND FOR TWO HOURS, OUTNUMBER BY THE MOB,
AS HERO, ALL OF THEM ,DIED AFTER BEING MASSACRE
AND THEIR ACTIONS SAVED TWENTY PEOPLE WHO HAD A CHANCE TO RUN AWAY AND STAY ALIVE.
@retire05, #3:
If you believe that, why on earth would you support Romney, who has just asserted that we should be sending them guns and heavy armaments, and criticized Obama for not doing so?
GREG
how much money does OBAMA WANT TO SEND TO THE REBELS IN SYRIA
IS IT 45 MILLIONS OR 450 MILLIONS?
@Greg:
I hate to say it, but I agree with Greg. Let some other sucker do the “leading.” These people we “Help” all seem to have one thing in common: They hate us.
Bring the boys home, deploy them on the border. Shoot to kill.
@retire05:
I think Greg-and I may be wrong so correct me-wants the FSA defunded. I do, as I want everyone defunded.
Do you agree?
@ilovebeeswarzone: Honestly, I thought there was hope for you and now you fall back on you bad habits of tying all in CAPS.
Don’t you know people just skip what you have to say when they see it all in CAPS?
@Ivan:
I’m shocked! Shocked!
Hahahahahahaha
@Greg:
This is the second time you have made the claim that Romney said we should be sending them [Syrian rebels] guns and heavy armaments. I suppose you are prepared to provide Romney’s exact quote of that claim?
Why do I support Romney? Because he is NOT Obama. I have had almost four years of watching Obama violate the U.S. Constitution with EOs (something the left claimed Bush did), usurping Congressional authority by EO with back door amnesty, his green failures where no one came out on top except his campaign bundlers, Obamacare, which still is not wanted by over 50% of the population, his arrogance, his malignant narcissim, his train wreck of a wife who spends taxpayer money like she is playing Monopoly, his oppressive Czars that make rules for the rest of us to live by although they were not elected by anyone but Obama, his Department of Injustice headed by a corrupt Eric Holder, Fast and Furious, a dead Ambassador and two former Navy Seals, one whose job it was to try to locate the weapons Obama put in the hands of the Libyan rebels without knowing who those rebels were, his failed Egyptian policies, in fact, his total failure in the Middle East and his ever constant campaigning all the while he ignores the job he was hired to do.
Want more?
Frankly, Greg, I would vote for road kill if it would remove Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. from the Oval Office.]
Now, about that Romney quote…………………………………………..
@Curt:
Really? You think we should continue in the ship-hole of the ME? You realize we’re broke, right?
Or do you care to make only cat-calls from the bleachers?
Post #10 got junked by me. In case anyone asks.
@retire05, #11:
Sure. Refer to the video at the top of the page. The comments in question begin at 17 minutes and 26 seconds. Mr. Romney says:
When you’re talking about the sort of arms needed to deal with “tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets,” you’re most certainly NOT referring to light weaponry. (Unless you’re totally clueless about what it actually takes to do this.) Also, I’m not entirely sure what Romney is talking about when he says the rebel factions he intends to so arm will “deliver that defeat to Iran.” I doubt if he really knows, either.
Here’s a written transcript of the entire Lexington address.
So, Mitt’s strategy involves supporting and aiding moderate Islamic elements, while taking on the extremists. Who does that sound like?
Except, of course, that guy hasn’t suggested putting weapons capable of taking out tanks, military helicopters, and jets directly into the hands of rebel factions we really can’t be so sure about.
People really like the tone of this sort of talk. Hopefully at some point they’ll spend a moment thinking about what the words actually mean.
Greg is showing his faux knowledge of Military classifications it seems… an AT-4 or recent Stinger variant is consigned to Light Arms for munitions logistic storage, movement and materials deployment to a squad. (However this varies from Nation to Nation, and within NATO allies.)
http://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/index.asp
Just a nice civilian little thing for you, since you’re such a “vet.” Such weapons are deployed in Heavy Weapons squads due to their duties of suppression and area denials to enemies to assist light infantry squads meant for rapid assault on soften enemy targets, but the actual equipment is known as light arms. Rather confusing but that’s how it is and each Nation has it’s own guidelines to what is “heavy” and what is “small”. For our Allies since this is a Middle Eastern conflict, most anti-tank infantry weapons carried by foot troops are in the light class by their logics, not ours.
And what’s the matter Greg? Defending Obama who sought to remove two American Allies such as Gaddafi and Mubarak by backhanded means and supporting the very rebels that are now attacking us while railing against Bush who sought Congressional approval before acting?
GREG
DID it occur to you that MITT WOULD TAKE OVER LIBYA?
instead of helping the rebels,
There was a little disclaimer that Romney placed in his statement. “for those who share our values”
@Randy:
That was my thought as well, when I read Greg’s reply.
In addition to what you quoted, Romney also stated he would “identify, and organize” those same people.
This is a clear departure from the Obama doctrine which clearly does not care what values the rebels have, or if they even share any values with us. And still gives military assistance and weaponry to them.
Much like the scorpion in Aesop’s fable, the true nature of those Obama helped in Libya(and Egypt) will show up and bite us in the buttocks. We have four less Americans to prove this.
Since the US fights the world’s wars—for the preservation of oil and pipeline interests—the rest of the free-world only has to render a modicum of exertion (since much of them are preparing for fossil free energy)—while America will assumes the role of protecting the oil company’s interests in selling their products to second- and third-world countries (like tobacco companies now do with cigarettes).
Thanks, Greg, for posting this transcript.
We should all remember that Egypt, too, had many factions opposed to Mubarak before Obama aided the Muslim Brotherhood in their takeover of the country.
How easily Obama could have waited and allowed the other, more ad hoc, informal groups a chance to organize before elections….but NO!
Obama rushed those elections while the Muslim Brotherhood was the ONLY opposition group that was well organized!
Remember there were plenty of moderate Muslim groups, there were Coptic groups, there were secular groups and there were Mubarak loyalists, too.
But all of them are now under the thumb of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Thanks, Obama……NOT!
What Romney is talking about are that there are plenty of those same types of groups in Syria.
Secular groups, Christian groups, moderate Muslim groups.
Some of these share more of our values than the al Qaeda or Iran loyalist groups.
But left in a vacuum (Obama’s ”leading from behind” vacuum) means the nastiest group will win.
That will be either Asad’s or al Qaeda’s.
Thanks again, Greg, for helping to make this distinction between Obama and Romney.
This speech was great. There is no doubt where Romney stands on foreign policy. He kindly pointed out where Obama is failing, while also acknowledging that Obama has good intentions (but not the skills to act).
I can see why there are so many non-Romney posts are on this one.
To quote the Beastie Boys, “That’s just cuz they haven’t got a thing to say . . .”
Romney will do better, and I think it’s clear he will get his chance (if he doesn’t, it will only because of ignorance propagated by negative and misleading campaigning, and the misinformation spread by the media).
Notice how his head moves back and forth, engaging the audience while he talks. His points are not pre-digested rhetoric on a teleprompter–they are in his heart, and he’s talking to us as someone who knows the score, and can think in the moment. That’s what a President should be.
@Greg:
Gee, Greg, where were you when we learned that Obama was providing arms to the Syrian rebels? And why did you leave out the caveat that Romney specified? Was that because backing those with our values (like the 10% of Syrians who are Christians) would be radically different than Obama’s backing those whose values are Islamist?
And if people actually take the time to think about what the words mean, Obama will lose by the biggest majority this nation has ever seen. As an example, what happened to the most transparent administration in the history of our nation as the DoJ and DHS have stonewalled on Fast and Furious and now we learn that this administration actually lied about what they knew, and when they knew it, when it came to Benghazi?
@Randy:
Really? Aside from Israel, who exactly shares our values in the ME??????
@Liberal1 (Objectivity):
I’m glad to see you contine to prove what a hypocrite you are as you rail against Big Oil yet continue to help them earn profits for their stock holders (like me). Your computer, telephone, head phones, printer cartridge, ear phones? Big Oil. Your toothbrush? Big Oil? Your athletic shoes? Big oil. Your camera, the cup Starbucks puts your coffee in, the ball point pen you use, your coffee pot, and your Birkenstocks? All Big Oil.
If you really hated Big Oil as much as you profess, you would not be here because you would refuse to use a computer that is mostly made of Big Oil products, not to mention being made in a foreign land.
But you are a hypocrit. You only rail on Big Oil because like the robot you are, that is how you have been programed.
Cha-ching, cha-ching.
Thanks for helping out all us Big Oil stock holders. Please, continue to wear out your computer keyboard (Big Oil) so that you will have to buy a new one.
Cha-ching, cha-ching.
@Ivan: Well Ivan, I have told you that you need toget around more. I just had a call from some Muslims I met while I was in Iraq. They share our values. I also have Muslims in Jordan who share our values. There are many in Tunisia who share our values. Our covert services is one mechanism that can be used by a president to support “those who share our values”.
@Ivan:
Who, beside Israel, shares our values in the Middle East?
How about the Christians that still live there (the ones that haven’t been murdered yet) or all those “moderate” Muslims that the left keeps yakking about?
Or are you saying there are NO moderate Muslims?
Ummmm, something new here:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
When did that start?
@Mr. Irons, #14:
So, you apparently approve of Mitt’s plan to send shoulder launched surface-to-air missiles to the Syrian rebels that “share our values.” I recall people here howling about a bogus article asserting that Obama had done that in Libyan. The evidence consisted of a photo of an alleged rebel posing with a Russian launcher system.
I am a “vet.” I spent a year at war in Vietnam. I was a volunteer, as were 2/3 of all who served there. While I claim no special measure of anything for having only done what 2.5 million other Americans did, I am getting tired of being called a liar by nitwits supporting a draft dodger who in many respects longed to be there. It galls me to hear bellicose language coming from yet another damn republican chicken-hawk candidate, who dodged service himself but is now oh-so-eager to send somebody else’s kids off to war.
@Ivan, #25:
I may not agree much with Ivan, but that comment is dead on target. There may be Middle Eastern Muslims we can get along with, but that doesn’t mean “they share our values.”
If Romney thinks he can pick out the trustworthy moderates among the anti-Assad rebel forces, he’s totally delusional. No one has a clue who these people are or what their politics are, beyond the fact that they’re anti-Assad.
If you give these people weapons capable of killing Assad’s tanks, military helicopters, and jet fighters, you may later have serious regrets. Why do you suppose Obama provided U.S. air support in Libya, but didn’t provide surface to air missiles or artillery directly to rebel forces? We didn’t pour military hardware into Libya. As a matter of fact, one of the men who was killed with Ambassador Stevens was there on a mission to try to get the weapons out.
@Greg: An AT-4 is an anti tank weapon like an RPG. It is not nearly as sophistacated as a stinger. Greg, you need to know what you are talking about before you put both feet into you mouth!
@Randy, #30.
Romney specifically stated that he would give Syrian rebels the armaments necessary to deal with Assad’s tanks, helicopters, and jets. He didn’t name any weapon systems. Neither did I.
What I said was that if you’re talking about weapons capable of killing tanks, military helicopters, and jet fighters–which Romney unquestionably is, since that’s exactly how he described them–you’re talking about weapons that could pose a serious threat to our own military. Or to civilian aircraft, for that matter. Is that clear enough?
That, my friend, is a genuinely substantive policy statement. And one that should make anyone question Romney’s understanding of the situation in the Middle East.
@Greg:
You say ME Muslims don’t share our values. On what do you base that assumption?
Did Obama arm the Libyan rebels? Why, yes, Greg, he did, and that is what one of the former SEALs was doing in Libya; trying to track down the shoulder fired missiles that Obama had supplied to Libyans without first checking where their loyalties were.
As to supporting a draft dodger, are you telling us you didn’t support Bill Clinton? Please, try to pass that b/s and see how far it gets you.
If any of you were familiar with an old (maybe now-dead) blog called Iraq the Model or another called The Sand Monkey (and there were many others) you’d realize Iraq and Egypt and many other places have/had people who we share much in the way of values with.
Of course the Egyptian blogger who wrote as The Sand Monkey was arrested and beaten while in prison.
And those two doctors who were Iraq the Model are too busy with pediatrics and dentistry to blog, but their values haven’t changed.
ME bloggers swear they are not alone in this.
They have had to live literally underground (in Iraq under a false floor in a kitchen) when their beliefs were too marginalized.
They would welcome even a pluralistic government that allowed them to live freer lives than under Islamists or dictators.
Obama is either naive and looking at all Muslims as ”peaceful” and serene or he is as much for the Islamists as he can be while still US president.
He has thrown these people under the bus for a narrative.
It is as false a narrative as anything Howard Zinn threw out there.
In fact, loving revisionism is probably why Obama swallowed it so easily.
@retire05, #32:
Obama didn’t supply shoulder fired missiles to the Libyan rebels. The rockets and launchers Doherty was trying to trace were looted from Gadhafi’s military stockpiles. They weren’t of U.S. origin.
Greg I share your distate for Republican chicken hawks who didn’t serve and their sons don’t serve. They wrap themslves tightly in the American Flag rattle sabers and send other young men and women off to war. Props to John McCain and his sons as well as Joe Biden’s son.
Semper Fi
@Greg:
Ever read about the Sten?
It was a gun that the UK developed because it could be created simply with what one might have in his garage.
ANYONE could build a Sten.
The old videos of Hamas in Gaza proves that any of them can build an unguided missile.
They usually use a tripod and ste their jury-rigged contraption on the ground rather than shoulder fire it.
This has probably saved countless lives as the things have a tendency to blow up in their tube before firing off.
Could the military militias make or get shoulder-fired grenade launchers?
Apparently so.
retire05
are we being targeted?
it just happen to me.
bye
@Nan G, #36:
RPGs and launchers are a mainstay of the arms trade. In post-Gadhafi Libya they’re no doubt very easily acquired. Gadhafi’s armories were likely full of them. MANPADS are far more dangerous in the wrong hands. Unlike RPGs, they track their target. If Romney intends to supply effective weapons to use against Assad’s helicopters and jets, that’s the sort of system he would be talking about. RPGs really aren’t very effective against flying aircraft, except at very close range.
Sten guns are interesting for their simplicity. Parts kits are available. Just don’t put one together. That could result in legal problems.
Greg is correct. The US did not arm Libyan rebels… at least not with any public or Congressional knowledge. Glen Doherty, the former Navy SEAL killed in the consulate attack was there to locate missing MANPADs, but they are the same stockpiles that went missing post Gaddafi that that I posted about back in Sept 2011. They were not provided to Gaddafi via the US.
drj had a reader post a month ago which alluded to some nefarious Obama connection with Libyan weapons being in the hands of the Syrians. However the only documentation that was provided to shed light on that headline was a link to a Reuters article that mentioned a “secret” memo to the CIA which authorized giving Syrian rebels support. However even that article notes that such support “…is for now apparently stopping short of giving the rebels lethal weapons..”.
The Syrian rebels have no need of western weaponry, since they can get all they want locally on the black market from those who have, apparently, seized Gaddafi’s stash.
This, of course Greg, makes your observation about Romney supporting the Syrian rebels little different than Obama, who also supports the Syrian rebels. My wish list? Let them all blow each other up in their Muslim on Muslim violence, and the US will deal with what’s left standing.
the SYRIA problems did not start by ASSAD KILLING THE DEMONSTRATORS.
THEY DEMONSTRATED FREELY FOR MANY DAYS.
UNTIL THE ALQUAEDA SHOWED UP, AND I would not be surprise if they did not start to kill some of the crowd posing as the GOVERNMENT FORCES, THEN HELL BROKE LOOSE,
the look alike mob who where not armed so to kill , except the ALQUAEDAS behind the lines
HIDING at first but inciting THE PEOPLE to join them,
SAME AS LIBYA, gaining strength more as the LIBYANS joined,
WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN MANY COUNTRIES OF THE MIDDLE EAST,
so ONE; the PRESIDENT ASSAD has the right to defend his country from outsides forces,AND HIS LOYAL PEOPLE,
as the leader responsible for his COUNTRY,
TWO; the people never accepted THE PRESIDENT decisions to make changes to help the people,,
but they where led to ask for the leader to leave, and never mentioned who would replace him,
they have even never showed a leader to speak for them.
so their real demand are a new leader just like every arab-spring
which none of their COUNTRIES gained by force showed no betterment but only hateful actions, miserable people , and mob reactions, to blame the USA FOR THEIR BIGGER PROBLEMS,
is that the VISION which AMERICA want for SYRIA? AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE REST OF THE MUSLIM COUNTRIES?
THAT IS THE QUESTION VERY IMPORTANT TO FOR-SEE, AFTER ALL OF THEM HAVE
OBTAINED THE CIRCLE OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES YOU HAVE BUILD A BEAST BIG ENOUGH TO EMPOWER YOU AMERICA, AND OBAMA IS FAVORABLE TO THAT ENDING
@MataHarley: Interesting about it being Glen Doherty, Mata.
I just was reading about the time he met Mitt Romney at a Christmas party.
Nan G
that reenforce the why MITT ROMNEY came public the evening to show his outrage more of.
I guess, because he knew one of the SEALS killed by the terrorists
@ilovebeeswarzone:
Bees, nevermind that it was widely reported, over a year and a half ago, that the Obama administration has requested the Sauds arm the Libyan rebels, or that the Administration knew that the Egyptians were also arming the Libyan rebels. This is like the getaway car driver claiming he was not responsible for the bank being robbed.
@Nan G, I’ve never heard Romney ever mention Doherty. But then, I confess, I don’t hang on his every word either.
There are many who are rumored to have armed the Libyan rebels… including the French military, Egypt and Italy. Whether they actually did, against UN laws (per the UN, and who cares… ), I don’t know. There is no mention that the Saudis sent a single bullet towards the Libyan rebels.
The UK and the US did not. In this, Greg remains correct.
@Nan G… just an add to the above. I see the FOX News blog story of an “emotional” and “choked up” Romney speaking of Doherty at a campaign stop.
Emotional… really? It’s Oct 9th… 29 days after the attack, and at least 25 days since we’ve learned of Doherty’s death.
And only now Mittens becomes publicly “emotional”?
I hate this kind of crap from politicians….. phony BS. Obviously Romney did not remember Doherty’s name, or meeting him, and only since his campaign has been collecting “personal stories” from the road did someone put two and two together. At this late date, “remembering Doherty” looks like a cheap campaign trick.
Oh wait… that’s because it is.
Demerits to Mittens.
Update to my comment above about Mitt and his belated “emotions”…. Seems that the mother of Glen Doherty was none too pleased about Mitt using her son for political exploitation, and was PO’ed about his new and not-so-personal anecdotes on the campaign trail. The Romney campaign has decided to remove that little tidbit from his stump speeches.
@MataHarley:
So what if the US didn’t “arm” the rebels. They flew air-support for them.
@MataHarley:
When you say,”Stash”, do you mean those elusive and mysterious MANPADS, Mata?
You know,the ones which you were apoplectic about being used to shoot down airliners and such?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA!
Try to stay with the conversation, Ivan. One person stated that Obama armed the Libyan rebels. Greg stated they didn’t. Greg is correct.
What the hell does the US/NATO troops have to do with it?
In case you have a hard time recalling, I wanted the US to keep the POTUS nose out of anything that had to do with Mubarak/Egypt, Saleh/Yemen, Gaddafi/Libya, and all things ME and Arab Spring’ish. You’ll need to find another tree at which to bark.
@Ivan, #46:
Correct, and people can certainly argue the wisdom of that.
But air support doesn’t get left behind, to fall into the hands of hostile factions who might eventually turn it against us. That wouldn’t be the case if we were to supply arms directly to the Syrian rebels.
The U.S. didn’t arm the Libyan rebels. Well, at least that is the story that the Administration is putting out. But then, I remember the White House claiming that there was no such thing as “Fast and Furious” either. And we know that Obama is covertly now supplying aid, and arms, to the Syrian rebels. Oh, and the attack in Benghazi was just a “spontaneous” attack caused by a an internet video. U.N. Secretary Rice said so, as did Hillary Clinton, Jay Carney and Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.
But what we do know is that France, who was hip deep with Obama to support the Libyan rebels in order to depose Gaddafi, did supply arms to the Libyan rebels and admitted it in March, 2011.
Nothing, and I do mean nothing, that comes from this Administration is trustworthy.