I think Romney was dead on, despite the reactionary response here.
He was talking about emulating their social network during aid distribution to spread “our” values rather than theirs. Hell, it’s not far from what our soldiers and Marines are doing today, partnering with local chiefs to funnel our support for their projects, organize garbage collection, water treatments, food distribution, police, elections etc... But we need a to expand that with more nimble (and armed) foreign service corps capable of working along side our military at lower levels to support them in that regard, promoting democratic values each step of the way, not just bureaucrats dinning with Sheiks in the green zone.
He was. Gingrich has advocated the same thing.