Romney—not innocents—abroad
WASHINGTON — A generation ago, it was the three I’s. A presidential challenger’s obligatory foreign trip meant Ireland, Italy and Israel. Mitt Romney’s itinerary is slightly different: Britain, Poland and Israel.
Not quite the naked ethnic appeal of yore. Each destination suggests a somewhat more subtle affinity: Britain, playing to our cultural connectedness with the Downton Abbey folks who’ve been at our side in practically every fight for the last hundred years; Poland, representing the “new Europe,” the Central Europeans so unashamedly pro-American; Israel, appealing to most American Jews but also to an infinitely greater number of passionately sympathetic evangelical Christians.
Unlike Barack Obama, Romney abroad will not be admonishing his country, criticizing his president or declaring himself a citizen of the world. Indeed, Romney should say nothing of substance, just offer effusive expressions of affection for his hosts—and avoid needless contretemps, like his inexplicably dumb and gratuitous critique of Britain’s handling of the Olympic Games. The whole point is to show appreciation for close allies, something the current president has conspicuously failed to do.
On the contrary. Obama started his presidency by returning to the British Embassy the bust of Winston Churchill that had graced the Oval Office. Then came the State Department official who denied the very existence of a U.S.-British special relationship, saying: “There’s nothing special about Britain. You’re just the same as the other 190 countries in the world.”
To be topped off by the slap they received over the Falkland Islands, an issue the Brits had considered closed since they repelled the Argentine invasion there 30 years ago. They were not amused by the Obama administration’s studied neutrality between Britain and Argentina, with both a State Department spokesman and the president ostentatiously employing “Malvinas,” the politically charged Argentine name, interchangeably with “Falklands.” (Although the president flubbed it, calling them the “Maldives,” an Indian Ocean island chain 8,000 miles away.)
As for Poland, it was stunned by Obama’s unilateral cancellation of a missile defense agreement signed with the Bush 43 administration. Having defied vociferous Russian threats, the Poles expected better treatment than to wake up one morning—the 70th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland, no less—to find themselves the victim of Obama’s “reset” policy of accommodation with Russia. So much for protection from Russian bullying, something they thought they had finally gained with the end of the Cold War.
And then there is Israel, the most egregious example of Obama’s disregard for traditional allies. Obama came into office explicitly intent on creating “daylight” between himself and Israel, believing that by tilting toward the Arabs, they would be more accommodating.
The opposite happened. (Surprise!) When Obama insisted on a building freeze in Jerusalem that no U.S. government had ever demanded and no Israeli government would ever accept, the Palestinian Authority saw clear to become utterly recalcitrant. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas openly told The Washington Post that he would just sit on his hands and wait for America to deliver Israel.
Result? Abbas refused to negotiate. Worse, he tried to undermine the fundamental principle of U.S. Middle East diplomacy—a negotiated two-state solution—by seeking unilateral U.N. recognition of Palestinian statehood, without talks or bilateral agreements.
In Israel, Romney will undoubtedly say nothing new. He’ll just reiterate his tough talk on Iran’s nuclear program. But I suspect he’ll let the Israelis know privately that contrary to the conventional wisdom that his hawkishness signals his readiness to attack Iranian nuclear facilities, his real intent is to signal that, unlike Obama, he is truly committed to permitting Israel to do what it needs to defend itself. This will be welcome news to a nation that has never asked anyone to fight on its behalf, just a green light to defend itself without impediments or veiled threats from its friends.
Most important, however, is to just show up. That’s 80 percent of life, Woody Allen once noted. No need to say much. Romney’s very presence will make the statement.
To the Israelis: “We understand your unique plight. If and when you do as you must, we will stand by you.”
To the Poles: “You can count on the American umbrella. I will never leave you out in the cold.”
And to the British: “We are grateful for your steadfast solidarity in awful places like Iraq and Afghanistan. The relationship truly is special.
“And one more thing. Still have that bust of Churchill?”
Righting his ship late Thursday in London, Romney did say he wants Winnie back in the Oval Office.
Charles Krauthammer is a columnist for the Washington Post. His email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com.
Aug 3, 2012 at 3:21 a.m.
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As woody has shown, "the [people I disagree with] always want to change the subject when people talk about Rmoney's questionable money background", expecting a consistent position on issues by liberals hardly ever happens...since these positions change based on a person's political leanings not their behavior.
Aug 2, 2012 at 6:56 p.m.
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Oblamer: so how many bank accounts do you have in Switzerland and the Caymans?
When you hear hoof beats don’t look For zebras.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam%27s_r...
Aug 2, 2012 at 1:08 p.m.
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"A bigger cloud surrounds Obamas citizenship status and college records secrets"
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Only in your own little mind oblammer....and trumps........
Aug 2, 2012 at 10:11 a.m.
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right donna....have Rmoney show his tax returns just like every else does.....
Aug 2, 2012 at 10:09 a.m.
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Read for your self about Rmoney's olympic resume.
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http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap...
Aug 2, 2012 at 10:08 a.m.
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woody, no, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. It's politics, my dear boy!
Aug 2, 2012 at 10:07 a.m.
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A Rmoney quote "If you work at it long enough, there is always another way to get the help you need in Washington."
Rmoney is quick to take credit for saving the 2002 olympics but he did it with a government EARMARK. He is just a fake.....
Aug 2, 2012 at 9:52 a.m.
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Once again......the right winger wackos always want to change the subject when people talk about Rmoney's questionable money background. Al Gore??? Really??? And Hillary???? It seems you are getting desparate now.
Aug 2, 2012 at 9:02 a.m.
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Woody if hillary can turn 1,000 into 100,000, in 10 months, why can't mitt?
Aug 2, 2012 at 8:47 a.m.
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donna...the right wingers always want to change the subject when people talk about Rmoney's questionable money background. Why, probably because some of it is illegal and he would have to answer to a judge.
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I would get fined if I would put too much money in IRA's. Even top money people have NO clue how Rmoney is doing what he is doing. THAT is the reason why he should show his returns.
Aug 2, 2012 at 8:31 a.m.
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donna...it's obvious you don't know much about IRAs and that you are limited on how much you can contribute. Here is a bloomberg article about Rmoney's magical IRA.
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-15...
Aug 2, 2012 at 7:13 a.m.
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woody..it's probably because he earned the money and saved it! And maybe it's none of your business! Let's take apart Nancy Pelosi's financial deals...there's some real shady stuff there. Line by line, is that what you want to do, woody?
Aug 1, 2012 at 7:44 p.m.
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Explain how Rmoney managed to get 21 to 100 MILLION in a IRA then.
Aug 1, 2012 at 1:07 p.m.
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woody,
Romneys taxes are a distraction-nothing more. The man earns all of his income via capital gains-just like Obama supporter Warren Buffet. Harry Reid made the claim-and yet Reid will not release his tax records? What is he hiding? Perhaps he is sheltering cap gain taxes on land deals?
Im sure if John Boehner made the claim that Obama had broke the law and sited an un-named person the media would not pounce all over Boenher---right?
Aug 1, 2012 at 12:46 p.m.
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woody...he is no more compelled to show his past tax returns than Obama has to show his diplomas, grades, etc.
Aug 1, 2012 at 12:25 p.m.
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Being a repub must mean not being accountable. Mitt, were you really paying zero taxes during some years???? Show your returns like your dad did Mitt.
Aug 1, 2012 at 9:25 a.m.
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Being a Democrat means never having to say you're sorry. Consequently, you will hear nothing from our leftist site pest.
Aug 1, 2012 at 8:04 a.m.
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Mitt the twit blunders again in Poland. Why doesn't this guy check the facts first???? Fail
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFLPD7jdH...
Aug 1, 2012 at 7:10 a.m.
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Walter...how does the crow taste? The White House has now apologized for their statement about the bust. They were wrong, as were you, and have at least apologized to Krauthammer.
Jul 31, 2012 at 1:29 p.m.
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The White house said “Normally we wouldn’t address a rumor that’s so patently false, but just this morning the Washington Post’s Charles Krauthammer repeated this ridiculous claim in his column. . . . This is 100% false. The bust [is] still in the White House. In the Residence. Outside the Treaty Room.”
Except that it isn’t. As the British Embassy said in a statement issued just a few hours later, “The bust now resides in the British ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C.”
Doh!
Jul 31, 2012 at 10:35 a.m.
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And Donna watches it.
A match made in heaven.
Jul 31, 2012 at 9:50 a.m.
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Oblamer doesn't watch Fox News,
she writes it.
Jul 29, 2012 at 11:27 a.m.
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wislady,
Typical Republican backer leaving out key info from the very article you post a link to:
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According to the British embassy:
"When that administration came to an end so did the loan; the bust now resides in the British Ambassador's Residence in Washington DC. The White House collection has its own Epstein bust of Churchill, which President Obama showed to Prime Minister Cameron when he visited the White House in March."
British embassy went on to say:
"Churchill Bust story is a silly diversion - let's get on and focus on seeing who wins most medals in the Olympics."
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As you can see, President Obama returned a bust to the British Embassy because he was supposed to. Krauthammer is a joke for instigating a "silly diversion" in a ridiculously weak attempt to discredit President Obama's relations with England.
Jul 29, 2012 at 7:20 a.m.
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baegucb says....
"It's be nice if he got his facts right. Not that that will stop GOPers repeating the error."
Yes, facts are good. Krauthammer got it correct...just another Obama WH lie that they wish would disappear. (Interesting that the factual story uses the same photo).
Churchill or bust: British Embassy says White House was wrong - sort of
(CBS News) "The White House's case arguing President Obama never returned a bust of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill turned out to be somewhat of a bust itself.
The British Embassy on Friday confirmed to Mediaite.com that despite caustic pushback from an Obama administration official, conservative Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer was correct when he wrote in his column this week that Mr. Obama "started his presidency by returning to the British Embassy the bust of Winston Churchill that had graced the Oval Office."
A photo showing the president and British Prime Minister David Cameron leaning over a Churchill bust outside the Treaty Room was posted to the White House blog Friday in an effort by Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer to debunk what he called the "patently false" claim by Krauthammer. But according to the Embassy, the bust in the photo is just a copy of the original."
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-5...
Jul 29, 2012 at 7:03 a.m.
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fear...that just the problem with Obama and some of you libs....IMO America IS exceptional! IMO we are the greatest country in the world! Yes, we have problems. But why do you think we have waiting list for people to come here (legally anyway)? That's the problem I have with Obama apologizing for us. I wouldn't live anywhere else and I would suggest that any American who is embarrassed to be an American go find another country to live in. And quit the Fox crap. It's getting old. You watch what you want and I'll watch what I want. There is NO news outlet, written or viewed, that is unbiased.
Jul 28, 2012 at 8:48 p.m.
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midnight ride,
Who cares what England thinks, you say Yeah. OK. Sure. Who cares what our closest ally who has been there for us through thick and thin for the better part of the past 100 years, who cares what they think?
Jul 28, 2012 at 8:46 p.m.
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Thank you Oblamer, it's clear that those that take their marching orders from Rush Limbaugh and Ted Nugent have spoken. Perhaps when you learn to read and stop relying on others to tell you what to think, you live a much happier, healthier life. You certainly might still end up voting Republican, but at least you'll actually know why.
Jul 28, 2012 at 6:06 p.m.
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You are a very uninformed individual, sir, very, very sad. Bush said verbatim,"He’s just a person who’s been marginalized. … I don’t know where he is. I really just don’t spend that much time on him, to be honest with you.""
Please open your views, you are a very simple minded partisan and very misinformed. Bush shifted from Osama to Iraq, GREAT idea!! Talk about a big spender, and small thinker. Hundreds of thousands dead later, and you have the nerve to spout that crap off? Suuuure buddy!
Jul 28, 2012 at 5:31 p.m.
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Obama isnt presidential??? Oblamer you are trulyt pathetic, remember this??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJmFkbBjb...
Dead or Alive? Or I am not that concerned about him. The man that they deemed responsible for the 9/11 attacks? If Bush had gotten him you and other lemmings would be propping him up as the great president, when Obama does it? Well........um.........its not him, its the........he didnt do it........um............hannity, rush what do I say next??http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFgn4EaCGQA Bon Jovi should charge Bushie Royalties.
Jul 28, 2012 at 5:27 p.m.
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""Remember the pics of Obama bowing to dictators?"" Too much Hannity Donnaw good lord, what a lemming!! Bowing to dictators??? The Saudis? The family that owns your information source , FOX??? Showing respect by bowing your head is not submitting. You people need some different rhetoric!! Try to remind yourself that the good old USA still has 200+ military bases all over the world and FAR and AWAY the largest military on Earth, Obama is the most powerful man on Earth. What should he do, punch them all in the face because he can? Maybe he should wear a cowboy hat to these events, that is the only thing that would satisfy some of you.
Jul 28, 2012 at 5:22 p.m.
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""And then there's Obama, the American Apologist!"" we have a lot to apologize for, whether or not you realize or care is up to you, we certainly are not "Exceptional".
Jul 28, 2012 at 3:11 p.m.
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Who cares what a socialist England thinks? Romney expressed concerns about the Brits being ready, they all laughed and on the first day they had cabbies stricking and snaring traffic upset they couldn't use certain driving lanes. Mitt was right again. And the Brits walked back their comments. Left wing MSNBC who had nothing else to talk about for two nights has more egg on their faces. Time for a souffle.
Jul 28, 2012 at 11:50 a.m.
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It's be nice if he got his facts right. Not that that will stop GOPers repeating the error. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/201...
Jul 28, 2012 at 11:13 a.m.
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third eye,
Hell no, people in the states don't read. Of the few that actually vote, the majority of them get all their information from thirty second campaign ads.
Jul 28, 2012 at 10:51 a.m.
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haha third, mittens has already taken care of that..
Jul 28, 2012 at 10:44 a.m.
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So Walter, you feel that negative press in England is going to derail Romney's Presidential run?
Jul 28, 2012 at 10:42 a.m.
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NVgrf, he is a Republican not a moron, but to you there is no difference.
Jul 28, 2012 at 10:39 a.m.
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The British have already spoken, RAF. You can direct your silly questions to them.
#romneyshambles
#mitthitsthefan
Jul 28, 2012 at 10:25 a.m.
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Or what
Jul 28, 2012 at 10:07 a.m.
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"Romney should say nothing of substance"
He has followed this policy during the entire campaign. When asked about his foreign policy while abroad, he said that it would not be appropriate to discuss foreign policy while outside of the United States. Is this man a moron or what?!
Jul 27, 2012 at 11:46 p.m.
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Walter if you are so worried how those in the UK think where are your comments over the DVD's Obama purchased for their PM that wouldn't play in their country. Or your comments on returning a national gift he didn't want in his oval office.
I suspect your current fuss is only because one person said something that made the news and has nothing to do with any kind of consistant position.
Jul 27, 2012 at 4:57 p.m.
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Romney looks Presidential. Acts Presidential. No more apologies for America the Beautiful.
Jul 27, 2012 at 8:10 a.m.
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Walter...you really are ripped on this aren't you!
Jul 27, 2012 at 7:40 a.m.
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"Who Invited Him?"
-headline from Daily Mail Online.
Jul 27, 2012 at 7:31 a.m.
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Perhaps the British are a little miffed because a corrupt bank is busy raising funds for Mitt Romney rather than rebuilding the public's trust.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsb...
Jul 27, 2012 at 7:28 a.m.
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"Mitt Romney is perhaps the only politician who could start a trip that was supposed to be a charm offensive by being utterly devoid of charm and mildly offensive."
-Alex Spillius, The Daily Telegraph (Conservative British Newspaper)
Jul 27, 2012 at 7:24 a.m.
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"England is just a small island. Its roads and houses are small. With few exceptions, it doesn't make things that people in the rest of the world want to buy. And if it hadn't been separated from the continent by water, it almost certainly would have been lost to Hitler's ambitions.”
-Mitt Romney, from his book "No Apology"
Just read the British newspaper headlines from this morning, Mr. Krauthammer. It doesn't seem like Mr. Romney has put his best foot forward. Clearly you had to write this for repeatedly slamming Mitt Romney (basically for acting like a big goof as soon as he got to England)
on air on Fox News yesterday. What happened to journalistic integrity? And you guys are always going after the main stream media. Take a look in the mirror, why don't ya? Yeesh!
Jul 27, 2012 at 6:56 a.m.
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Remember the pics of Obama bowing to dictators?
Jul 27, 2012 at 6:53 a.m.
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And then there's Obama, the American Apologist!
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