Killing bin Laden: What would Mitt Romney have done?
Romney is hitting back at President Obama, saying even Jimmy Carter would have ordered the deadly raid on the terrorist mastermind. But what about Romney?
After days of President Obama's re-election campaign questioning whether Mitt Romney would have ordered the daring Navy SEAL raid inside Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden a year ago, Romney finally gave his answer: "Of course," he told a reporter in New Hampshire. "Even Jimmy Carter would have given that order." Of course, Obama's allies aren't exactly persuaded, pointing to statements from 2007-08 in which Romney disagreed with Obama's pledge to strike high-value terrorist targets inside Pakistan, saying it's "not worth moving heaven and earth" to capture bin Laden. If Romney were in charge last year, would he have taken out bin Laden?
Any president would have sent in the SEALs: We know for a fact that Jimmy Carter did order a similar raid, sending Marines to rescue hostages in Iran, says Allahpundit at Hot Air. And Carter, Romney, or any other president would have made the same call Obama did with bin Laden. In counterterrorism, "it's easier for a president to err on the side of aggression than passivity." If Obama had punted and the press found out, he would have been toast. And as for Romney's past statements: In 2007, Pakistan was an ally; in 2011, not so much.
"Romney: C'mon, even Jimmy Carter would have given the order..."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But maybe not President Romney: Mitt is wrong to suggest that ordering the raid was "a no-brainer," says Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo. Obama had to push hard for a renewed focus on finding bin Laden, and overrode top advisers' objections to sending in SEALs. Romney, on the other hand, has a history of opposing "both the policy of aggressively focusing on bin Laden and violating Pakistani sovereignty. It's hard to get around that."
Regardless, Republicans won't win this on the politics: Many people believe it's unseemly to play politics with the bin Laden raid, says Joe Gandelman at The Moderate Voice. But Romney's new line — that somehow the raid was no big deal, and an easy call — "is coming across as sour grapes." Besides, whatever Romney would have done, trying to turn the tables on Obama has one "net result": Romney is playing on Obama's turf, with everyone talking about how "Obama issued the order to get Osama bin Laden," and wondering if Romney might have balked.
"Romney says 'even Jimmy Carter' would have ordered Bin Laden op..."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Baltimore bridge disaster: Who is going to pay and how?
Today's Big Question Politicians, legal experts, and the insurance industry are all grappling with the financial fallout of America's worst infrastructure tragedy in years
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Melting polar ice is messing with global timekeeping
Speed Read Ice loss caused by climate change is slowing the Earth's rotation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Stick guitar
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published