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The Spectacle Blog
Quin suggests that Mitt Romney should use the word peace “about 15 or 20 times” in tonight’s debate with President Obama.
That advice might very well help Romney because I predict that a desperate Obama will claim that Romney will take us to war with Iran. At the very least, Obama will claim that only he can keep us out of war. Given that a critical mass of the electorate believe our efforts in both Afghanistan and Iraq were all for naught, a war weary public might be amenable to Obama’s argument however demagogic it is.
That is, unless, Romney can convince the electorate that he has no desire to go to war with Iran but Iran is building a nuclear weapon and may wish to use it against us, Israel or one of our other key allies and as long as that is the case then that option must remain on the table as an absolute last resort.
View all comments (19) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/10/22/obama-will-claim-romney-will-t
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RAM| 10.22.12 @ 1:34PM
Weakness invites attack, while strength reduces the chances for war. Iran has moved ahead knowing that empty words fool Obama.
Mike G| 10.22.12 @ 1:52PM
Yes, we must have a strong military. However, Iran is intent on war, and the only way we won't be involved is if Obama just tells Israel, "You're on your own." If that happens, they will be fighting the entire Arab world, and will have no option but nuclear retaliation. The beginning of Armageddon?
canuckistani| 10.22.12 @ 2:31PM
Iran is intent on war?
Name one aggressive war by Iran in the last 33 years?
You can't. Persians are not stupid.
Only the US can be so dumb as to interpret a terrorist attack by Saudis, using an exiles money as somehow state-sponsored by Iraq and then spend $1T and thousands of casualties to accomplish zero.
Even the Russians cut and ran from Afghanistan when they realized the muslim thing is intractable.
If we get ourselves into the middle of another muslim bloodfeud, then at least have the courage to suggest the populace pays for it.
The proper course is to force Saudi to elevate their involvement. They have finally recognized that blaming the zionists for everything has diminishing returns. The Sons of Ali have come home to roost, and are in their kitchen.
Let them figure it out. Europe has more to lose than the US in the region, let them figure it out, too.
If Israel wants us to do their dirty work again, then stop the settlements, preserve Christian shrines and access, and state to the world they have nukes. Other than that, why would anyone on here choose one Jesus-denier over another?
Occam's Tool| 10.22.12 @ 2:09PM
Mitt Romney is a grownup; Barack Obama is a petulant child. We need grownups.
canuckistani| 10.22.12 @ 2:41PM
How do you characterize a grown-up when we speak of US policy?
The only one I can think of in the last twenty odd years is Daddy Bush when he rightly calculated going to Baghdad would be folly. But his endorsement of Most-favored-trading status to China is troubling.
Junior was an unmitigated disaster.
Reagan was instrumental in bankrupting the Reds, but cut and ran from the Arab world, abandoned Afghanistan and readily did business with both Iran and Iraq.
Carter got Egypt to do a deal with Israel, and there has not been significant state on state action for nearly 40 years.
Nixon, well, he was a pragmatist.
LBJ - another Texan, nuff said.
JFK took nukes out of Turkey and averted war.
Ike killed the Iranian prez and started the dominoes to the establishment of Islamic Iran.
Obama has refocused our effort on hunting down criminals and refusing to engage in unwinnable situations i.e anything muslim. his Israel policy has been a continuation of 40 years of US policy, and his willingness to work with Nato-partner Turkey has been refreshing.
Israel has lost its way, and we would be wise to step back with a critical eye each time Bibi opens his cake hole.
Paul McGrath| 10.22.12 @ 2:32PM
Both Obama and the moderator will try to get Romney to say that he will go to war with Iran if necessary. The way out of that trap is for Romney to point out that Obama has repeatedly said that he will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, and that he is in agreement with Obama on this point. Period.
canuckistani| 10.22.12 @ 2:54PM
As evidenced by Willard's idiot-parade in July, he is not ready for the job. The rest of the world has come to realize that the US no longer can lead from the high ground when it took its hissy fit to Iraq rather than the real instigators of muslim hate - Saudi Arabia.
Persians are not stupid and are not imbued with bullsh!t Arab machismo. Their willingness to use proxies and "advisors" is more akin to Ike's policies than the reckless rabble-rousers we are apt to describe them.
Watch closely how Saudi has begun to engage in propping up the Christians in Egypt and Lebanon. It is a recognition that even they cannot contain the religious fervor that they started, and need a proxy - the Christians - to preserve whatever semblances of an economy in these countries.
They have also toned-down their rhetoric about Israel, and taken a hesistant view towards the ending of the Assad regime.
These quiet manoevers match Obama's almost point for point., and Bibi's sulking is proof positive that it's working.
There is no way WindsockWillard would ever be permitted to possess such a nuanced view of the world. The neocons won't permit it.
Oldefarte| 10.22.12 @ 3:30PM
"windsock Willard"? Then alternatively you're """"""""STUPIDLY""""" endorsing the COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, ACORN-WHORING, PRIVATE SCHOOL TROJUN-HORSED UN-AMERICAN instead, right????????
Oldefarte| 10.22.12 @ 3:23PM
Aaron may have just hit the bullseye on this thesis, since Obama recently asked a rhetorical question about WHAT DOES ROMNEY WANT TO GET THIS US/THIS COUNTRY INTO ANOTHER WAR? This is typically ludicrous of this POTUS since what did he mean by ANOTHER WAR? Would that be something different than what this country has experienced after 9/11/01, after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, after the four American diplomatic personnel were slaughtered in Benghazi, after twenty US Navy sailors were killed aboard the USS Cole, after 3000 innocent Americans were incinerated on 9/11/01 in NYC/DC/Pa., that resulted in a Muslim extremist subversive within the US Army that shot twenty fellow Army personnel at Fort Hood Texas, etc? Is there a different war occurring or is it the same war against the radical animalistic Muslim terrorists? How does he come up with his concept of a DIFFERENT WAR? And furthermore, on what does he base his theory that Romney would so [as POTUS] push this nation into another direct conflict with an enemy country? Is Romney a former military member or does he have a substantial connection to the US Military in some form [ie Bush, McCain etc]? Or maybe instead this is another BS political fabrication instigated by Axelrod, Jarrett, Emmanuel, Wright, Jackson, Sharpton and their ilk???????????????????????????????
C Bowen | 10.22.12 @ 4:19PM
Barring Romney firing his Trotskyite advisor, Gabriel Schoenfield, for starters, I am not sure anyone would believe a Romney Administration won't lead to yet another debt financed war, just like George W. who surrounded himself with the same globalist advisers.
Obama has been horrible on foreign policy with his femininst drone campaigns, blowing up weddings and Americans without due process, but for some reason, Romney take the advise that he should get to the Globalist Left of Obama on foreign policy.
Simon Templar| 10.22.12 @ 4:40PM
For all those hand wringers and our local comrade trolls..this is what the American people think about The Fraud and his foreign policy...
According to the latest Pew Research Center polls, Americans are increasingly skeptical about the crown jewel of the Obama Doctrine: the Arab Spring. In April 2011, 42 percent of Americans thought that “changes in political leadership in Middle Eastern countries such in Libya, Egypt will lead to lasting improvements for people living in those countries.” Today, that number is 25 percent. Meanwhile, while 43 percent of Americans thought that such changes wouldn’t lead to lasting improvements in April 2011, today, that number is 57 percent. Americans believed in April 2011 by a 35-24 percent margin that the Arab Spring would be bad for the Untied States; today, it’s 36-14 percent. And Americans now believe by a 54-30 percent margin that “Stable governments, even if there is less democracy in the region,” is preferable to democratic governments with less stability. Among independents, that number is a whopping 62-27 margin.
C Bowen | 10.22.12 @ 4:46PM
That's the problem: Romney supports allying with Al-Qeada connected radical Islamists for the purpose of toppling moderate and secular regimes, rather than rejecting the Globalist Agenda, and pursuing an America First policy of foreign policy.
The sad part is that Obama continued the Bush policies, and Bush continued the Clinton Era policies of working with radical Islam.
Simon Templar| 10.22.12 @ 4:40PM
All of this cuts against President Obama.
So too do Americans’ feelings about Iran. In January 2012, 50 percent of Americans wanted to take a firm stand against Iran; they said it was more important to take a firm stand than to avoid military conflict, as opposed to 41 percent who disagreed. Today, that number has shifted: it’s 56-35 percent in favor of firmness.
On China, Americans have moved from wanting a stronger relationship with China (53 percent in March 2011) to getting tough with China (49 percent in October 2012).
Romney has the advantage on all of these issues. Obama is a weakling; he attempts to project strength, but he fails. Among independent voters, Romney has a 16 percent advantage on China. And on Libya, the American people are largely split, which means that Romney has a teachable advantage tonight – 38 percent of Americans don’t like the way Obama has handled Libya, while 35 percent approve. A full 27 percent say they have no opinion.
C Bowen | 10.22.12 @ 4:49PM
Thanks to Liberal Media and their globalist Republican friends, 64% (at least) of the populace think Iran already has a nuclear weapon http://tinyurl.com/8r4loq7--despite the opinion of the trillion dollar intelligence services that Iran is not even pursuing one so I am not sure what value the populace's opinion on foreign policy towards Iran means.
Romney should educate them and tell Obama to stop lying about the threat.
geronl| 10.22.12 @ 7:34PM
That same intelligence service also did not suspect Pakistan was building nukes.
C Bowen | 10.22.12 @ 8:31PM
That "same intelligence service"? Are you unfamiliar with my governments intelligence gathering methodology?
If you and Obama have evidence that Iran is building a nuke, out with it!
If the Intelligence services are incompetent, have Obama say who is to blame.
Last time we heard this crap from the Globalists you front for, Bush ended up thinking Iraq was a threat which was ridiculous.
geronl| 10.22.12 @ 7:32PM
Trying to ignore Iranian threats will guarantee war.
geronl| 10.22.12 @ 7:33PM
Obama has recognized Iran's right to build nukes, says... Iran?
http://www.humanevents.com/201.....ar-rights/
geronl| 10.22.12 @ 7:35PM
Hey why doesn't my name link to my blog?
http://asspos.blogspot.com