That was probably my first comment ever about Romney. I have tried to reserve judgment. But that Hezbollah thing the other day, tells me I don’t need to be so reserved.
~”But that Hezbollah thing the other day, tells me I don’t need to be so reserved.”~
Hold the phone!
What Romney actually said was that Hezbollah gets its strength in the middle east by winning the hearts and minds of the people through social outreach. In this, Romney is objectively correct. He said that we need to emulate Hezbollah’s social outreach efforts in order to win hearts and minds ourselves. Now, you can agree or disagree with that approach; but it’s not the threatening message you are determined to portray it as.
People get offended at everything. Good grief.
Of course, while talking off of the cuff, during these impromptu townhall meetings, it's not surprising that he may not always get to finish the entire explanation before imperfect or incomplete thoughts are used against him. What a surprise!
But nobody in their right mind would think he condones the ends justifying the means used in this case. And, in his quickly released correction, he said that.
Yet, the means they have used to gain control in certain areas is worth observation, since it may not hurt our forces of peace, democracy and freedom to put on an alternate charm offensive.
One of the basic tools in this war on the Islamic jihadists is one of ideas. We struggle to dispel ingrained, destructive falsehoods about our culture and policies. It makes sense to support voices advocating moderation, tolerance and civility in the Islamic world.
It goes right along with something Condi Rice said recently:
"The victory of freedom in the Cold War was won only when the West remembered that values and security cannot be separated," Rice said. "The values of freedom and democracy as much, if not more, than economic power and military might have won the Cold War."
That thinking tracks recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission, which besides calling for reorganization of U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism urged a diplomatic offensive: "If the United States does not act aggressively to define itself in the Islamic world, the extremists will gladly do the job for us."
If the USA does not act aggressively to define itself in the Islamic world, the extremists will gladly do the job for us. The completion of Romney's thought.