SBW

From the Wall Street Journal


Romney: The Price of Failed Leadership
The President's failure to act when action was possible has diminished respect for the U.S. and made troubles worse.

By MITT ROMNEY
March 17, 2014 7:17 p.m. ET
Why are there no good choices? From Crimea to North Korea, from Syria to Egypt, and from Iraq to Afghanistan, America apparently has no good options. If possession is nine-tenths of the law, Russia owns Crimea and all we can do is sanction and disinvite—and wring our hands.

Iran is following North Korea's nuclear path, but it seems that we can only entreat Iran to sign the same kind of agreement North Korea once signed, undoubtedly with the same result.

Our tough talk about a red line in Syria prompted Vladimir Putin's sleight of hand, leaving the chemicals and killings much as they were. We say Bashar Assad must go, but aligning with his al Qaeda-backed opposition is an unacceptable option.

And how can it be that Iraq and Afghanistan each refused to sign the status-of-forces agreement with us—with the very nation that shed the blood of thousands of our bravest for them?

Why, across the world, are America's hands so tied?


A day after Crimea's March 16 vote to join Russia, the Russian flag waves in Simferopol. AFP/Getty Images

A large part of the answer is our leader's terrible timing. In virtually every foreign-affairs crisis we have faced these past five years, there was a point when America had good choices and good options. There was a juncture when America had the potential to influence events. But we failed to act at the propitious point; that moment having passed, we were left without acceptable options. In foreign affairs as in life, there is, as Shakespeare had it, "a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the flood leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries."

When protests in Ukraine grew and violence ensued, it was surely evident to people in the intelligence community—and to the White House—that President Putin might try to take advantage of the situation to capture Crimea, or more. That was the time to talk with our global allies about punishments and sanctions, to secure their solidarity, and to communicate these to the Russian president. These steps, plus assurances that we would not exclude Russia from its base in Sevastopol or threaten its influence in Kiev, might have dissuaded him from invasion.

Months before the rebellion began in Syria in 2011, a foreign leader I met with predicted that Assad would soon fall from power. Surely the White House saw what this observer saw. As the rebellion erupted, the time was ripe for us to bring together moderate leaders who would have been easy enough for us to identify, to assure the Alawites that they would have a future post-Assad, and to see that the rebels were well armed.

The advent of the Arab Spring may or may not have been foreseen by our intelligence community, but after Tunisia, it was predictable that Egypt might also become engulfed. At that point, pushing our friend Hosni Mubarak to take rapid and bold steps toward reform, as did Jordan's king, might well have saved lives and preserved the U.S.-Egypt alliance.

The time for securing the status-of-forces signatures from leaders in Iraq and Afghanistan was before we announced in 2011 our troop-withdrawal timeline, not after it. In negotiations, you get something when the person across the table wants something from you, not after you have already given it away.

Able leaders anticipate events, prepare for them, and act in time to shape them. My career in business and politics has exposed me to scores of people in leadership positions, only a few of whom actually have these qualities. Some simply cannot envision the future and are thus unpleasantly surprised when it arrives. Some simply hope for the best. Others succumb to analysis paralysis, weighing trends and forecasts and choices beyond the time of opportunity.

President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton traveled the world in pursuit of their promise to reset relations and to build friendships across the globe. Their failure has been painfully evident: It is hard to name even a single country that has more respect and admiration for America today than when President Obama took office, and now Russia is in Ukraine. Part of their failure, I submit, is due to their failure to act when action was possible, and needed.

A chastened president and Secretary of State Kerry, a year into his job, can yet succeed, and for the country's sake, must succeed. Timing is of the essence.

Mr. Romney is the former governor of Massachusetts and the 2012 Republican nominee for president.

Thombar Loc: Hominy, OK

Hi SBW: "A chastened president and Secretary of State Kerry, a year into his job, can yet succeed, and for the country's sake, must succeed. Timing is of the essence." yea, like that's going to happen. Not a snowballs chance in hell :cry:

SBW

Sadly, you are probably right. Quite a vivid remainder of what we could have had versus what we have now.

HEART Loc: God's Country - COLORADO

...and he's now the laughing stock for the Russians!!

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/03/russian-deputy-pm-laughs-at-obamas-sanctions/

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Wink44 Loc: Montgomery AL

Boy, our vaunted President really showed that old asshole, Putin, this time! No doubt the whole world will take notice! No more "red lines" this time- no, sir! We're imposing tough punitive actions that will really make the Russians and the rest of the world's bad boys to sit up and take notice (well, at least the 21 or so Russians that the sanctions apply to-- can't wait to see them squirm when they find out they can' travel to the US or do any business here.) Guess old Putin will have to retire to his shirtless horse farm and wrestle tigers, or something. Hear tell, too, that Wall Street has already jumped a thousand points or so in jubilation. And the EU is pushing a recommendation to lengthen Obama's term in office.

No, sir! No world leader has shown the moxi or the intuitive foresight of our intrepid leader to deal with such vexing issues. I understand also that Israel's Knesset has initiated a proposal to allow itself to be re-designated as a Palestinian free state, to include adoption of Islam as its new official state religion- complete with Sharia law; likewise, South Korea wants to re-unify with the North as a super socialist state just to demonstrate what is possible with such insightful leadership-- and all due to Obama's unchallengable lead on resolving world crisis issues. I can only wait in wonder to see what our future next holds in store.

SBW

Well said Wink! When you are waiting for that next enlightening BHO epiphany you may wish to position yourself behind a large rock.

Thombar Loc: Hominy, OK

This is so funny :twisted:

Dusty

Why do we think that we have the right to tell the hole world what to do. We can bomb a country for no reason but no body else is allowed to do something like that.

fhadfield

OK Dumbass, what country did we bomb for no reason?

yhtomit Loc: Port Land. Oregon

Because we represent freedom thats why.

ole sarg Loc: south florida

You mean Mitt Romney the draft dodger is giving advice on foreign policy. Maybe of some value to his draft dodging kids but not to the nation or to those who serve!

I just love the chicken hawks!

rrforster12 Loc: Leesburg Florida

Sadly, a unknowledgeable electorate has twice put our country in this regrettable position. We have another two and a half years of experiencing this National slide into oblivion. The world senses the turmoil the USA's incompetent government is in and is responding accordingly. The really big shoe that threatens to fall is our financial system. For historical reference read up on the German Government after WWI and England's after WWII to see where our country is heading.

chrisscholbe Loc: Kansas City, MO

ROTFLMAO....You Guys.......LOL

UP-2-IT Loc: RED STICK, LA

It seems that the idiot thinks he will run again. His speech brought a lot of laughter and ridicule on all the news channels.

bob44044 Loc: Ohio

A very stupid and uninformed comment!