Posted on 08/02/2007 6:40:41 PM PDT by indcons
Mitt Romney's campaign said Hezbollah was not a proper model for his vision of U.S. diplomacy, addressing a controversy arising from his earlier remarks.
The statement from the campaign for the former Massachusetts governor, a front-runner in the race for the Republican presidential candidacy, came in the wake of a weekend town hall meeting in Iowa in which he cited Hezbollah's social network as a model for reaching hearts and minds.
"Governor Romney believes that bloodthirsty terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas have smothered the progress of the people and nations where they have built their networks, Lebanon serving as an example," spokesman Kevin Madden said. "These terror organizations cannot and should not be allowed to gain an advantage with the citizenry in Muslim nations just because they mask their terror agenda with an offering of some vital services."
Romney had made the comparison in explaining why he would expand on President Bush's AIDS program in Africa, widely regarded as earning goodwill.
"Hezbollah went into southern Lebanon and provided health clinics to some of the people there, and schools. And they built their support there by having done so," Romney said. "That kind of diplomacy is something that would help America become stronger around the world and help people understand that our interest is an interest towards modernity and goodness and freedom for all people in the world."
The National Jewish Democratic Council slammed Romney for those remarks. "Any candidate for President should know that Hezbollah's social programs are inseparably tied to terrorism," it said.
Hitler liked dogs.
This was a really stupid remark on Romney’s part. I mean really stupid.
Ping
He’s either a fool or an idiot, but I fear he’s both.
Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!
And we would want this guy running our country?
He and Osama (Invade Pakistan) Obama would make a great ticket < /sarcasm>
You best know a person by what they say “off the cuff”. Scripted speech means nothing.
LOL....sad but true.
Correct. (That they set up shop there is another matter)
And they built their support there by having done so,”
Correct. Without having built local support they would have no cover or other advantages you derive from a sympathetic population.
Romney said. “That kind of diplomacy is something that would help America become stronger around the world and help people understand that our interest is an interest towards modernity and goodness and freedom for all people in the world.”
Where he steps in it is by using the term “diplomacy”. If he had said that these actions are what allow hostile groups to develop bases of support and frankly if America was to take more of these steps then people would have a better alternative to turn to and see our commitment to building better relationships and promoting freedom and better standards of living around the world. We would also be denying terrorist organizations a major source of support.
That’s when they open their mouths and their brains fall out, like Obama often does.
Please see post #8
Amen!
That's not the issue. Whether scripted or off-the-cuff, Romney made a poor formulation. It amounts to a gaffe. Obviously Romney doesn't admire Hezbollah.
He’s wrong. They are a very good model for how you develop a sympathetic population that supports your goals. If AQ could have figured that out then they would be way ahead of the game in Iraq.
Does anyone have that old Waffle House pic of Kerry moving left and right with this finger in his nose? If I had photo-shop I’d insert Romney into it.
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