Posted on 09/11/2006 2:38:17 PM PDT by Jeff Fuller
'Know Thine Enemy,' Romney Says of 'Jihadists' Republican Presidential Hopeful Warns of Religious-Tinged Threat By TEDDY DAVIS April 30, 2006 - Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., has sought to confront the religious element of terrorism.
"They are terrorists, yes, but more directly they are Jihadists," the White House hopeful told ABC News. "That has broad implications."
Romney's determination to avoid referring to America's enemies solely by the tactics that they use is earning praise from some foreign policy specialists.
"I think it could change the entire center of the conversation," said Mary Habeck, a professor of strategic studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
By identifying America's enemies as Jihadists, Habeck thinks the United States would be better positioned to wage an ideological campaign to "portray these people as the extremists that they really are" and to "drive a wedge between them and the vast majority of the Islamic world."
Continued
"Howz a Romeny/Tancredo ticket, anyone?"
Starting to sound better. We'll have to see his other positions first, of course.
I'm looking for a short list of attributes in a candidate.
1. I'm looking for a candidate that knows we are at war, and is prepared to wage it on the enemy's turf.
2. I want someone who will send constitutionalists to the Supreme Court.
3. I want someone who will secure the border.
4. And I want someone who is himself a constitutionalist.
No one out there is perfect, but these are the things I'm looking for. So far there is a vacuum. Its Romney's challenge to show that he is prepared to fight. I'm not so worried about domestic kitchen issues; thats why we have a congress, let them worry about the small stuff. Show me he isn't afraid to fight a war, and isn't afraid of the almighty press, and I'll be prepared to support him (or anyone else who will fill those shoes).
"Smite the jihadists wherever they are to be found!"
(A recent piece by 'Spengler' of the Asia Times posted to FR a few days back has convinced me that Islam itself represents a defense of Arabian barbarism against civilization by the construction of a rival monotheism, in some ways analogous to the Meiji Emperor-cult as a defense of traditional Japanese society against the West--notice both turned nasty and aggressive.)
Marron,
I think you found your candidate . . . using your criteria:
1. I'm looking for a candidate that knows we are at war, and is prepared to wage it on the enemy's turf.
The article leading this thread and this article http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1695958/posts are pretty strong indications that Romney understands. He supports Bush on the war (aside with some disagreements on procedure and number of troops . . . wanted more).
2. I want someone who will send constitutionalists to the Supreme Court.
THis link http://www.redstate.com/blogs/jjfuller72/2006/aug/28/romneys_judicial_appointments_and_philosophy_no_its_not_the_pro_gay_rights_pro_activist_judges_pict
is a long and detailed one . . . but one that solidly confirms Romney's support of strict constructionists to the highest courts and tough on crime judges to criminal courts.
3. I want someone who will secure the border.
Romney's strong on immigration and on homeland security:
http://www.redstate.com/story/2006/6/25/21849/3884
http://www.redstate.com/story/2006/7/4/104852/2018
4. And I want someone who is himself a constitutionalist.
Romney is this . . . ultimate respect for the law of the land and enforcing it (even when he could have pulled a "George Wallace" or "Roy Moore" and tried to illegally block Gay Marriage in MA--a move that would have secured him as a darling of the conservative movement--he acted according to the rule of law and followed the proper channels). Was an honored speaker at the Federalist Society last year.
Thanks for the detailed response, good post.
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