Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Cain's Foreign Policy Fogginess
The Wall Street Journal ^ | 11-23-2011 | Allysia Finley

Posted on 11/23/2011 8:24:43 PM PST by TitansAFC

"I'm not supposed to know anything about foreign policy," said Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain the other day after fumbling a question about President Obama's actions in Libya. "Because you run for president [people say] you need to have the answer. No, you don't! No, you don't!" His dearth of knowledge and interest in foreign policy was on full display in last night's GOP debate....

...On the Patriot Act, Mr. Cain was even more hazy. "If there are some areas of the Patriot Act that we need to refine, I'm all for that. But I do not believe we ought to throw out the baby with the bathwater." Again, he wouldn't specify which areas of the Patriot Act he disagreed with or thought should be amended. Neither would he say with any clarity whether he'd support an Israeli strike on Iran to destroy its nuclear weapons program.....

....Finally, when asked whether he would support a no-fly zone over Syria, he muttered that he would rather "work with our allies in the region to put pressure to be able to try and get our allies and other nations to stop buying oil from Syria." (The European Union implemented an oil embargo against Syria in September.) Then he pivoted to "growing this economy....

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2012; bombafrica; cain; debate; genius; gop; hermancain; libya; neinneinnein; patriotact; syria
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-51 next last

1 posted on 11/23/2011 8:24:48 PM PST by TitansAFC
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: TitansAFC
Herman Cain is a good man and he has been falsely accused by the nedia. But, that is because of the racism in the liberal community.

That said: he is not the right man to occupy the Oval Office.

2 posted on 11/23/2011 8:28:45 PM PST by Baynative (The penalty for not participating in politics is you will be governed by your inferiors.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TitansAFC

Many of us went through this with Gov. Palin. As the left/MSM continue the hatchet job on Mr. Cain, the more I’m inclined to support him. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

As a Clarence Thomas constitutional conservative, Mr. Cain in 8 years would undercut the foundation of LBJ’s welfare state and be an effective antidote to the left/media propaganda based on racism/sexism that pervades virtually EVERY policy debate. We will get no real change so long as the “Big Lie” is unchallenged- and Establishment Pubs, concerned only with survival in their private fiefdoms, will never challenge it.

In that sense, Mr. Cain’s value is not just winning in 2012- his value is 8 years of a conservative Black American undoing a dynamic that has perennially paralyzed the Republican Party on all levels of government.

I agree with those who say there may be a better “candidates-”— but I don’t believe there is one that can better serve the ends of constitutional conservatives than the redoubtable Cain.

Instead of tearing him down- conservatives should be building him up-— his value to constitutional conservatism may well be transformational.


3 posted on 11/23/2011 8:36:14 PM PST by VinL (It is better to suffer every wrong, than to consent to wrong.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Baynative; TitansAFC

As time goes on, it’s becoming an uncomfortable truth, that many FReepers can better answer the questions posed to Herman Cain, particularly the questions relating to foreign policy. Of course, he’s the one on stage under pressure, but still ...


4 posted on 11/23/2011 8:42:00 PM PST by onyx (PLEASE SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC:DONATE MONTHLY! Sarah's New Ping List - tell me if you want on it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: TitansAFC

I prefer a man that has the ability to learn over a man that claims to know it all.
With all the snipeing, all the polls, and the orchastrated hit pieces, I remain...
Cain/Gingrich ‘12


5 posted on 11/23/2011 8:44:05 PM PST by bossmechanic (If all else fails, hit it with a hammer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VinL

Cain might be better in the VP slot because were the GOP nominee to win, he could gain experience for the top slot and be put to work reforming the bureaucracy.

He’s not experienced enough to be president.

I like the guy on a personal level having spoken with him 1-on-1, but he’s not ready.


6 posted on 11/23/2011 8:48:26 PM PST by rzman21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: VinL

He has a lot of support here! He’s only made rookie mistakes on his own. The other slams were media lies and smears, but he seems to have over ome that.

He really has to do some cramming to better himself on foreign policy if he’s going to debate the Marxist.


7 posted on 11/23/2011 8:48:59 PM PST by onyx (PLEASE SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC:DONATE MONTHLY! Sarah's New Ping List - tell me if you want on it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: onyx

Little secret: I actually like Herman Cain, a lot. I believe he would be mostly, though not always Conservative. He is a likable man!

I also believe Patriot Perry and Intellectual Newt would be effective, Conservative Presidents. Santorum would be ideal, but he is a non-starter.

The issue in this case is that the GOP has always prided itself on being the knowledgable party when it comes to foreign policy. Being ignorant of it is bad enough; but proudly thumping one’s chest, boasting of one’s ignorance on foreign policy is particularly unacceptable.

Cain is not ready to be the leader of the Free World and Commander-in-Chief of the most powerful military in the history of the world. That’s not some anti-Cain screed, that’s the truth. He is not ready, and the Presidency is not an entry-level position on these things.

Still, I will be supporting whoever gets the nod, as long as it’s not Mitt or Huntsman.


8 posted on 11/23/2011 8:50:24 PM PST by TitansAFC ("..then propose a reasonable program for the 12 million (illegals) who broke our laws" - Herman Cain)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: TitansAFC

How about Newt’s foreign policy on illegal immigration.

The guy does not give a $hit about our borders. Oh yeah he cheated on his wife because he loved America so much.


9 posted on 11/23/2011 8:50:38 PM PST by Sprite518
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: onyx

“When”, not if.

An oversight, I’m sure.

:D


10 posted on 11/23/2011 8:51:02 PM PST by Cringing Negativism Network ("Galts Gulch" <> Communist China)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: TitansAFC
Neither is Newt when he wants to reward law breakers with citizenship.

They can give them welfare, feed them, house them, educate them, provide them a drivers license, but for some reason they can't deport them????

11 posted on 11/23/2011 8:52:23 PM PST by Sprite518
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: TitansAFC

This is the problem with Cain, he either has an airy answer, a joke answer, or a slogan answer.


12 posted on 11/23/2011 8:54:09 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Baynative

If you watched the debates on foreign policy, and it is amazing how many who have so much to say did not even watch them, you would have seen all of the great experts so much more knowledgeable about foreign affairs than Mr. Cain, when asked what they would do about Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and China.....

Every single one of them gave a different answer.

Iran was the best example. The suggestions ran the extremes of make love (Ron Paul) to bomb them. Sanctions, blockades....

Now if they are all so up on the topic, tell me why they did not agree.

The fact is that none of them, without privy to a high security briefing by the CIA, the military, etc., do not have enough information to make a decision.

So they were all just running their mouths.

The silliest of all were the suggestions of sanctions and a blockade.

We have had sanctions against Cuba for 50 years and Castro is the longest living dictator in modern history.

As for blockades, I assume that would mean that any Russian or Chinese ship or plane would be fired upon when they attempted to breach the blockade.

Why don’t I like that idea? Well, I well remember WWII and I am not looking forward to WWIII.

Before you accept the MSM’s anointed experts and condemn Cain, think more about how widely varying the experts were in their opinions. That should scare the hell out of you.


13 posted on 11/23/2011 8:56:19 PM PST by old curmudgeon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: TitansAFC

The media writes as if we are all flaming morons and have no idea what any of the candidates mean.

Simple google search and here it is...

Basic search on google returns and Main data source: CIA World Fact Book
Syria Oil is major export - $3.2 billion 25% of revenue http://t.co/6gAZOWr

“Earnings from oil exports are one of the government’s most important sources of foreign exchange”

And on Iran regarding mountains - another basic google search turns up from MSNBC

Iran to put nuke sites ‘inside mountains’
Move appears aimed at shielding facilities from military attack

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35520698/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/iran-put-nuke-sites-inside-mountains/#.Ts2-dfLQeVp

Journalists are so damn lazy. Research is ignored and facts are created.


14 posted on 11/23/2011 8:58:51 PM PST by Fred ("The terrorists' want to kill us, so we need to kill them first!" http://hermancain.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TitansAFC

Do you like / respect Condoleezza Rice when it comes to Foreign Policy?

If so, you might want to take a look at some of her opinions about whether a candidate needs to be an expert on foreign policy before taking office. She says no. And she has been specifically asked about Cain in this regard.


15 posted on 11/23/2011 9:00:12 PM PST by BagCamAddict (If Perry had been asked about the Cain 999 plan, he would have said: 9, 9, .......what?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: VinL

Perry and Newt said they would strengthen if they knew what was in it FIRST...Time for this feeble reporter to whine about them too.

Why doesn’t the WSJ endorse the pro-amnesty pro-mandate influence peddler and get it over with, enough with the pretense.


16 posted on 11/23/2011 9:01:55 PM PST by Fred ("The terrorists' want to kill us, so we need to kill them first!" http://hermancain.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: BagCamAddict

LOL want to freak out the left?

Your post brought a thought to my mind.

Cain / Rice.

Liberals heads would absolutely explode. All across America.


17 posted on 11/23/2011 9:02:08 PM PST by Cringing Negativism Network ("Galts Gulch" <> Communist China)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: TitansAFC
Finally, when asked whether he would support a no-fly zone over Syria, he muttered....

Horsepuckey. He didn't "mutter" anything. Whether this author liked what Cain said or not, he is spewing a lie here. Cain spoke clearly, plainly, and with purpose. There was no muttering.

So many of these hit pieces smack so hard of racism it's pathetic. Thank God Cain grew up in the segregated South, and he's dealt with it his whole life, so he is stronger than any of us when it comes to these attacks.

18 posted on 11/23/2011 9:03:48 PM PST by BagCamAddict (If Perry had been asked about the Cain 999 plan, he would have said: 9, 9, .......what?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Baynative

“That said: he is not the right man to occupy the Oval Office.”

AND, there is no way on earth that he could win against Obama, none.


19 posted on 11/23/2011 9:04:11 PM PST by Gator113 (~Just livin' life, my way~.. Newt/Bolton-2012."got a lot swirling around in my head.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: onyx

I think you’re right. He’s very intelligent, but he has to learn the craft.


20 posted on 11/23/2011 9:04:31 PM PST by VinL (It is better to suffer every wrong, than to consent to wrong.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-51 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson