Recently, former presidential candidate Mitt Romney wrote an op-ed published in The Wall Street Journal. His writings criticized the Obama administration's response to foreign affairs, specifically Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As mentioned by Politico, Romney made a significant point in this op-ed when he said that globally, America does not hold more respect from a “single country” than from before Obama became president. Romney stated publicly what Americans have witnessed with the inaction of both President Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, saying, “Their failure has been painfully evident.” Romney urged the president and Secretary of State John Kerry to take action before it is too late.
My true interest in Mitt Romney’s op-ed comes from the official responses it received. According to Politico, the President’s administration, Former National Security Council spokesman, and White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer, all accused Romney of simple belligerence without providing any solutions. NSC’s spokesman, Tommy Vietor, said via Twitter, “Lots of blaming America for the world’s problems. Zero ideas for how to solve them. Typical.” Interesting statement considering Romney is not blaming America, the people; he is referring to the mangled foreign affairs the current administration has allowed by inaction and weak foreign policy. I would like to point out that it is not, in fact, Mitt Romney’s job to provide the solutions and solve the problems of this administration. How can the President and his political supporters openly blame unsolved problems on someone whom has absolutely nothing to do with the implemented policies? Mark Halperin, a journalist, “. . . suggested to Pfeiffer that Romney was saying there were solutions previously, and that Obama needed better timing.” It is, in fact, the Obama administration’s responsibility to create solutions and to establish peaceful, workable, foreign policy. Yet, these politicians respond to comments of their failures by stating that the plaintiff is not presenting solutions. Welcome to America: home of the free... to blame mistakes on the brave. Furthermore, even Hillary Clinton, whose failures as Secretary of State were also mentioned in Romney’s op-ed, said she is “worried that allowing Putin to get away with the annexation of Crimea could have repercussion in the region” and that action must be taken or the surrounding countries will be demoralized and could submit to Putin based on fear. Clinton's comments do not provide anymore of a foreign policy strategy than Mitt Romney's. Both Romney and Clinton are suggesting the obvious - America's foreign policy needs to change under this administration.
My true interest in Mitt Romney’s op-ed comes from the official responses it received. According to Politico, the President’s administration, Former National Security Council spokesman, and White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer, all accused Romney of simple belligerence without providing any solutions. NSC’s spokesman, Tommy Vietor, said via Twitter, “Lots of blaming America for the world’s problems. Zero ideas for how to solve them. Typical.” Interesting statement considering Romney is not blaming America, the people; he is referring to the mangled foreign affairs the current administration has allowed by inaction and weak foreign policy. I would like to point out that it is not, in fact, Mitt Romney’s job to provide the solutions and solve the problems of this administration. How can the President and his political supporters openly blame unsolved problems on someone whom has absolutely nothing to do with the implemented policies? Mark Halperin, a journalist, “. . . suggested to Pfeiffer that Romney was saying there were solutions previously, and that Obama needed better timing.” It is, in fact, the Obama administration’s responsibility to create solutions and to establish peaceful, workable, foreign policy. Yet, these politicians respond to comments of their failures by stating that the plaintiff is not presenting solutions. Welcome to America: home of the free... to blame mistakes on the brave. Furthermore, even Hillary Clinton, whose failures as Secretary of State were also mentioned in Romney’s op-ed, said she is “worried that allowing Putin to get away with the annexation of Crimea could have repercussion in the region” and that action must be taken or the surrounding countries will be demoralized and could submit to Putin based on fear. Clinton's comments do not provide anymore of a foreign policy strategy than Mitt Romney's. Both Romney and Clinton are suggesting the obvious - America's foreign policy needs to change under this administration.