Mitt Romney's Foreign Policy Vision, in Need of Corrective Lenses
I recently attended a luncheon in Washington hosted by the Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI). Founded and run by prominent neoconservatives, FPI invited former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney to hold a discussion on America's place in the world. I predicted that the former presidential candidate's hair would be more exquisite than his foreign policy ideas. I was not disappointed.
From the beginning it was clear that politics would trump policy, as Governor Romney received softball after softball designed to tear down President Obama and buck up the Republican faithful. He expressed relief that President Obama had not rapidly yanked US troops out of Iraq or taken Air Force One to North Korea. Since these outlandish propositions were never part of Obama's presidential campaign, one wonders why he feared such possibilities in the first place.
The most likely answer, of course, is that he never actually harbored such fears. Instead, it seemed that he was merely pumping up the crowd in order to set the stage for this go-for-the-jugular accusation: that President Obama is a "timid defender of freedom."
It's a predictable claim, which jives nicely with the long Republican tradition of choosing tough talk over tough choices. Also predictable was the decision to go after the "chattering class," a new epithet for the liberal media. For Governor Romney, the chattering class is responsible for spreading the poisonous idea that America is "in decline." As America's power diminishes, so the straw man goes, the United States stands on the sidelines and asks for help. It no longer leads, no longer stands up for its friends, and no longer stands up for itself. The incarnation of this worldview? Barack Obama.
Such is Governor Romney's working theory. But the theory isn't working. Once again, he's pushing politics over policy. "Decline" is not a neutral term. It's a political accusation that willfully ignores the realities of today's world.
America's share of world GDP stood at 50% after World War II. As economies recovered, primarily in Europe in Japan, that share moved to 20% in 1980, and has stayed constant ever since. What has not stayed constant is Europe and Japan. Since 1980, Europe's share of world GDP has gone from 27% to 20%, while Japan's has gone from 8% to 6%.
Who's picking up the slack? Asia, with China leading the way. In the same time period, China's share of world GDP has gone from 4% to 16%, while the rest of Asia has gone from 12% to 19%. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs has predicted that the combined economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China will be larger than the combined economies of the United States and the European Union by 2050.
Does this mean America is in decline? Hardly. On the contrary, it's a measure of our success that so many nations have, to varying degrees, adopted economic systems similar to ours. As a consequence, the wealth of others has grown, and the opportunities for the US to cooperate with like-minded nations has grown. The fact that economies in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere have grown since 1945 is not a sign of American decline. It's a testament to US leadership.
Yet like all worthwhile accomplishments, this comes with a cost. The US simply controls less wealth than it used to. Our resources aren't infinite and we have to make tough choices to keep America safe and strong. Governor Romney isn't up for tough choices. Tough talk is much easier. His choice is to ignore this reality, and slander anyone who points out this incontrovertible economic fact as a decline monger.
But it's not 1945 anymore. Other nations have the resources to go their own way if they want to. Yet they probably don't want to, because without American leadership in the world, nothing gets done. The National Intelligence Council puts it nicely:
On newer security issues like climate change, US leadership will be widely perceived as critical to leveraging competing and divisive views to find solutions. At the same time, the multiplicity of influential actors and distrust of vast power means less room for the US to call the shots without the support of strong partnerships.
The Catholic Church often refers to the bishop of Rome -- the pope -- as "the first among equals." That might be a stretch when comparing America's position in the world to that of other powers -- we're still top dog economically and militarily -- but it's probably the kind of attitude we need to succeed in the 21st century. To pretend otherwise, as Governor Romney prefers to do, is to abandon the reality we have for the unicorn he wants.
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Mitt still has it over thew other gop candidates. Jindal does exorcisms, Palin has a real witch doctor, but Mitt has better hair than John Edwards AND magic underwear also too!
If you DON'T think America is in decline then I'm afraid Romney is more reasonable than you are.
While the world has changed Americans are just now adjusting, but those stuck in the past don't realize the bully pulpit, made America appear weak.
Romney has a consistency problem. Depending on which way the political winds are blowing, he changes positions almost as much as he changes clothes. No one seems to know what he stands for. It is difficult to determine whether he lacks conviction or lacks the courage to stand by his convictions. Either way Romney's tough talk will not hide that fact. If he cannot admit America's shortcomings how can he deal with international issues in a modern world.
In contrast President Obama's candid approach with a humble attitude in acknowledging America's wrongful meddling has been well received. All one has to do is watch Obama interacting with other nations' leaders to see the positive response. This is important because America cannot go it alone.
We've tried hubris, bellicosity and ad homien attacks; the bully-pulpit didn't work. Since Romney cannot come to terms with America's past how will he come to terms with the present?
In an inter-connected world America is dependent on the rest of the world as it is us. Therefore solving problems requires co-operation and participation from the entire the global community. President Obama's approach to international affairs and the resulting progress is testament to America's strength.
mittens was left of kennedy when he ran against him for the senate.....always willing to say or do whatever he thinks will gain him the most political points...i know...i'm from massachusetts, where he was a one term governor.....
"Does this mean America is in decline? Hardly. On the contrary, it's a measure of our success that so many nations have, to varying degrees, adopted economic systems similar to ours. As a consequence, the wealth of others has grown, and the opportunities for the US to cooperate with like-minded nations has grown. The fact that economies in Europe, Asia, and elsewhere have grown since 1945 is not a sign of American decline. It's a testament to US leadership."
Are you suggesting the USA created free market capitalism????
Which version did the USA spread around the world? FDR's?
It's not a measure of "our" success, it is a measure of the rebuilding of the rest of the world after two world wars,
did you know that the USA invented the wheel too.?
America so dominated the post world war 2 world because we were essentially the only industrialized nation that hadn't had its entire manufacturing base destroyed as well as the only industrialized nation that didn't experience an extreme demographic decrease because of casualties, civilian and otherwise, from the 1st and 2nd world wars. So obviously from an economic standpoint we have declined in relation to other industrialied countries and the decline only accelerated when American corporations began to move the means of production outside the country which helps to explain why Asia's share of the global economy is growing so fast.
In some ways America certainly did accelerate the economic development of other countries with the most glaring example being the Marshall Plan, but to credit the reascendency of Japan and Europe in the global economy solely to American leadership is absurd.
Not to sound like an isolationist but I think America needs some personal time to reflect and reinvent itself in this world which is drastically different than the so called utopia of the 1950s which conservatives wax nostalgic for, though we should keep in mind we had significant social problems during this time as well.
First order of business would be to remove our ARROGANCE immediately!
How the hell could Massachusetts ever elect this zero?
"His choice is to ignore this reality, and slander anyone who points out this incontrovertible economic fact as a decline monger."
This is one of the truest statements every printed about Romney, not only Romney, but this tactic is the tactic used by many of the Romneys, and close friends; however, this type of Romney response goes on far beyond anyone who points out his 'incontrovertible economic fact as a decline monger', it happens to anyone the Romney feel or think is a threat, by either information on them known, or people who have the perception of seeing through their shame.
Romneys are dangerous people.
We've seen 2 thousand years of GOP Foreign Policy. We just called them The Crusades, The Inquisition and The Holocaust, Kosovo and Darfur
Mitt Romney is bright, serious, level headed and as such cannot compete against the other GOP candidates who will say anything to grab a headline and appeal to the worst in people not the best.
He can be the high road Republican candidate but in the process will have to attack the nut jobs in the party which will not be pretty. If he is on willing to take on Palin and those who make the party look stupid he should forget trying to run for President.
He needs to show some personality and fire.
Did you not post on Gotti?
"Thanks for the news flash, Victoria. Richard Nixon was a crook, George Bush was lame, Cheney a fanatic." -------- how can one write in such glorious terms about Romney?
The best statement ever said about Romney is he/they slander anyone who sees through their sham, or anyone they feel a danger because of information known about the Romney's, that behavior does not encompass bright, but very negative and serious character flaw.
Oh please, Mitt has huge problems in his home state. He can't even fix those so forget about him running this country. Enough is enough.
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