Watching this is bittersweet. Sweet because Romney absolutely pummels Obama's decision-making and primary assumptions in the areas of foreign policy, and in so doing he clearly shows that there is a right way to approach international relations that takes full advantage of America's influence, but that you need someone who actually recognizes and understands the use of that influence - and Obama ain't that guy.
Bitter because, well, it's kind of obvious, isn't it? My favorite part is where Romney explains the difference between an "enemy" and a geopolitical rival. No, they're not the same thing. The former hates you. The latter simply has interests that conflict with yours. That's been a big part of Obama's problem here from the beginning. He doesn't see an enemy so he can't imagine what would be the problem.
Not to replay the 2012 campaign, but I went in not too thrilled about Romney as the nominee. The more I listened to him, the more that changed, because while I didn't see a "true conservative" activist, I saw a very impressive executive decision maker who operated on good information and logic. In viritually every case, that will lead you in the opposite direction of where Democrats want to go. So what difference did it make if he came to the right solutions from an ideological perspective or a data-crunching perspective? As long as he would get there.
I think it's that same way of thinking that brings him to an understanding of what's gone wrong in dealing with Russia, and what could still go right.
Which is not to stoke the fires of him running again. I don't think that's why he's suddenly so vocal. I think he just wants to be heard and it really doesn't matter to him if that means everyone will start speculating about a presidential run. It's good to have him adding his voice about where Obama's decisions have gone wrong. It would have been great to have him be the one making the decisions. I guess at this point we'll take what we can get.
