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Mitt Romney on Iraq and Foreign Policy
This candidate has withdrawn from the election
With regards to Iraq, there are a lot of people that say, let's just get out. I want to get our troops home as soon as I possibly can. But, at the same time, I recognize we don't want to bring them out in such a precipitous way that we cause a circumstance that would require us to come back.
2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC May 3, 2007
In Iowa on Wednesday, Romney reiterated his support for President Bush and said a withdrawal from Iraq "would be a mistake."
CNN.com, "Inside Politics" Dec 22, 2006
"My view is that right now, the right step for us to take is to support the commander in chief by putting in additional troops to make sure Al-Maliki's government is taking the lead. I think we are seeing the troop surge is beginning to show signs of working."
"Right now I don't have a different view then he does in regards to the surge. I think the surge is the best course we have at this stage."
"Now I'm not wild about keeping any troops there longer than we have to, but I think dividing the country in parts and then getting, or simply getting out presents risks to America that people have to stop and think about."
"Our objective would not be a Korea-type setting with 25-50,000 troops on a near permanent basis remaining in bases in Iraq," the former Massachusetts governor told the Associated Press. "I think we would hope to turn Iraq security over to their own military and their own security forces, and if presence in the region is important for us than we have other options that are nearby," Romney said.
Q: But if the CIA said, "We had Osama bin Laden in our sights, Musharraf says no," what do you do? ROMNEY: It's wrong for a person running for the president to get on TV and say, "We're going to go into your country unilaterally." Of course, America always maintains our option to do whatever we think is in the best interests of America. But we keep our options quiet.
2007 GOP Iowa Straw Poll debate Aug 5, 2007
Romney is against "walking away" from Iraq, and he promotes a four-part plan: increased defense spending to 4 percent of GDP; energy independence; greater unity in the international nonmilitary resources of the United States; and stronger "partnerships and alliances" with old and new allies. This last goal includes "a worldwide strategy to support moderate Muslims in their effort to defeat radical and violent Islam."
According to the report, Romney holds stock in China Petroleum and Chemical (also known as SinoPec), an oil supply company that has dealings in Sudan, according to an organization dedicated to ending the genocide in the African nation's Darfur region.
"I think it's a good idea for us to tighten sanctions on Sudan," Romney said. "...If there is military action to be taken in Sudan, it's something that should be done on a broader basis than just the United States of America. We've got our hands full right now...."
Romney's "five-point plan" (Sioux City Journal) on Iran calls for tougher sanctions and diplomatic isolation of Iran. "Their leaders should be made to feel like those of Apartheid South Africa," (PDF) he said in September 2007. He also says that increased participation in curbing nuclear Iran by other Arab states is needed. In an April 27, 2007 speech at Yeshiva University, Romney emphasized the threat posed by Iran. While he said it was a good idea to engage Iran on Iraqi developments, Romney opposed bilateral talks on Iran's nuclear program, saying "we shouldn't let Iran try to position it as an Iran vs. a U.S. thing." Romney, like many of his fellow candidates, says that "the military option remains on the table." According to his campaign website, Romney has "led efforts and called on numerous private sector and state officials to strategically divest from Iran and cut off the resources Iran uses to fuel terror."
In a speech at the 2007 Herlzliya conference in Israel, Romney called on Arab states to stop providing financial support and weapons to Hamas and Hezbollah, and to pressure the Palestinians to "drop terrorism and recognize Israel's right to exist." Romney also supports the security wall that divides the West Bank from Israel.
Romney supports a continuation of the current U.S. embargo on Cuba. "America will never back down to the Castro brothers," Romney said (PDF) regarding the sanctions in September 2007. In a March 2007 interview on Miami’s WIOD radio Romney said, "I think we need to continue the pressure and to develop a Latin American strategy that will move more countries toward us and away from the Castro brothers and individuals like Hugo Chavez."
Mr. Romney urged what he described as "a new type of Marshall Plan" that would deliver economic aid, public health aid and other assistance to Islamic states struggling to resist violent extremists.
Romney has been critical of the United Nations. In an April 2007 speech, Romney said, "the failures of the UN are simply astonishing." He cited the United Nations Human Rights Council as an example of these failures. Still, Romney said, neither isolationism nor U.S. unilateralism are sound postures for foreign policy. "America's strength is amplified when it is combined with the strength of other nations."
Governor Romney said he will not reduce our nuclear arsenal, because Iran is building nuclear technology. Franklin, NH 7/25/07