“Come On, Mitt, Think!”

Published in Frankfurter Rundschau
(Germany) on 24 May 2012
by Damir Fras (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Ron Argentati. Edited by Casey J. Skeens.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is skeptical of Mitt Romney's choice of foreign policy advisers. He feels they are too far to the right and has advised Romney to use his own judgment.

As the Republican candidate for president, Mitt Romney may not like hearing that advice, but he really needs to heed it. It was given to Romney by George W. Bush's Secretary of State concerning the Republican candidate's team of foreign policy advisers that Powell figuratively had for breakfast on NBC's “Morning Joe” broadcast.

"I don't know who all of his advisers are, but I've seen some of the names and some of them are quite far to the right. And sometimes they might be in a position to make judgments or recommendations to the candidate that should get a second thought," Powell commented.

Maybe even a third thought would be advisable since Romney recent declared Russia was America's number one geopolitical enemy. That really missed the mark and Powell agrees it's wrong: “Come on Mitt, think," Powell said. "That isn't the case."

Romney really should stop and think because Powell knows whereof he speaks. It was he who gave Congress that load of nonsense about how dangerous Iraq was in early 2003. Powell learned from that episode. Romney apparently didn't.

Some might say that the U.S. presidential election shouldn't be decided by foreign policy. That's correct, but it applies only to the United States itself. As Europeans, we would like to know how the man in the Oval Office will govern, and that includes what his view of the world looks like.


"Denk doch mal nach, Mitt"
Damir Fras
Datum: 24 | 5 | 2012

Der ehemalige republikanische Außenminister Colin Powell ist skeptisch über die außenpolitischen Berater von Präsidentschaftskandidat Mitt Romney. Er hält sie für zu weit rechts und fordert Romney auf, seinen eigenen Verstand einzusetzen.


Das möchte man sich auch nicht anhören müssen als Präsidentschaftsbewerber der Republikaner. Aber Mitt Romney kann nicht aus, er muss. So hat also jetzt Colin Powell, ehedem Außenminister unter George W. Bush, den außenpolitischen Beraterstab von Romney in einer einzigen Frühstücksfernsehsendung auf MSNBC sozusagen verfrühstückt.

Es fielen bemerkenswerte Sätze. Da sagte Powell: „Ich kenne seine Berater nicht. Aber ich habe einige Namen gesehen, und einige von ihnen stehen ziemlich weit rechts. Und manchmal fällen die Urteile oder geben Empfehlungen ab, über die der Kandidat zweimal nachdenken sollte.“

Dreimal wäre besser, denn Romney hat zum Beispiel unlängst erklärt, Russland sei der „geopolitische Feind Nummer Eins“ der USA. Das war schon ziemlich daneben. Auch Powell sieht das so: „Come on, Mitt, denk’ doch mal nach! Das ist nicht der Fall.“

Romney sollte ins Grübeln kommen. Denn Powell weiß, wovon er spricht. Er hat schließlich Anfang 2003 im UN-Sicherheitsrat ziemlich viel Quatsch über den angeblich so gefährlichen Irak erzählt. Powell hat daraus gelernt, Romney offenbar nicht.

Nun mag man einwenden, dass sich die Präsidentschaftswahlen in den USA nicht an der Außenpolitik entscheiden werden. Das stimmt, gilt aber nur für die USA selbst. Als Europäer würde man schon gerne wissen, wer da künftig im Weißen Haus regieren könnte und welchen Blick er auf die Welt hat.
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