Mitt Romney: 'I would arm the Syrian rebels'

[alp227]

Last edited Mon Oct 8, 2012, 04:33 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: The Guardian

Mitt Romney will call for an escalation of the conflict in Syria by arming rebels with the heavy weapons needed to confront president Bashar al-Assad's tanks, helicopters and fighter jets.

Romney is to make the proposal on Monday in what his campaign team has billed as a major foreign policy speech in Lexington, Virginia.

In extracts published in advance, he opened up the prospect, if he becomes president, of a US-Iranian proxy war being fought in Syria.

"Iran is sending arms to Assad because they know his downfall would be a strategic defeat for them. We should be working no less vigorously with our international partners to support the many Syrians who would deliver that defeat to Iran - rather than sitting on the sidelines," he said.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/08/mitt-romney-arm-syrian-rebels

---

A Mike Malloy segment about Romney's foreign policy:

[MrSlayer]

1. Here we go.

Obama is WEAK for not doing this! We aren't feared anymore! He's Jimmy Carter!!!

Here it comes.

[Voice for Peace]

16. Fingers crossed that American people are sick to death of warmongering voices

and offensive foreign policy.

[cyclezealot]

31. The man is a threat to world peace.

He will immediately be as hated by the rest of the world as was Bush II..

[Iggy]

39. Uhhh, WHAT World Peace??

LOL...

the U.S. has regularly been involved in some sort of war/conflict since the close of WW II.

[arewenotdemo]

51. Too true. I guess the most we can hope for is more

of the "restraint" this Administration is exhibiting by just giving the rebels logistical information and non-lethal aid.

I'd think that the mistake Obama made in Libya is perhaps behind some of that restraint.

I really don't think proposing this helps Romney politically.

[cyclezealot]

73. Libya is small potatoes .

Tweaking off Russia and China is playing with the big guys.. Mitt's go it alone with Bush's , Bush Doctrine will leave the US with few allies left to support US policy.

[RKP5637]

83. I was just thinking earlier today, and I have no idea why it popped into my mind, will

the day come when China and Russia are allies against the US in some type of ridiculous war. In my mind a Romney/Ryan win could bring us dangerously close to that point.

[cyclezealot]

89. Doubtful, the next Gobber war.

There will be no Tony Blair about to be Mitt's goffer. But, then we have Israel to be our cheerleader beating the war drums.

[RKP5637]

81. The US is really an aggressive nation, TPTB wrap it and sugarcoat it. We are really an

aggressive nation IMO. My entire life this nation has been at war, planning war or talking about war. And the war profits are great for the MIC. In terms of world peace the US could do a better job, probably mostly by getting the F out of all of the other countries we are in ... no wonder people get pissed off at the US.

[Iggy]

84. AGREED

when the history of this sad period is written.. we'll see it was we who were the agressors/threat
to the Soviet Union... Who built bases in EU nations and pointed nukes at them?

Eisenhower profoundly warned us re: the MIC. too bad nobody in congress today paid any
attention to this

[RKP5637]

87. I have absolutely no doubt that in my remaining years we'll see some

pretty bad times if we stay the course with the MIC profiteers. It's a ghastly way to be profiteers. And, the part that really galls me is those that wave the flag for war are often very distant and it's out of sight, out of mind. And now we will have drone wars. sailing in robotic death and destruction. It's all so horrific I pale for words.

[Iggy]

92. Have You Read Chalmers Johnson's Trilogy?

amazing books detailing the impact/problems with our MIC.

I think the first book is Blowback. highly recommended reading

[RKP5637]

93. No, I haven't. Thanks for the info. n/t

[RKP5637]

80. As will the US. n/t

[IndyJones]

33. Makes me cringe.

[flamingdem]

2. Well this proves that we should NOT arm the Syrian rebels

He's such a twit, Obama will wipe the floor with Mittwitt on foreign policy

[underthematrix]

3. First of all

Mittnocchio needs to get Netanyahu's dick out of that orifice on his face. Second, the Iraqi war was the proxy war with Iran. Third, what jackass plans to get on national TV describe not his policy but his tactics on foreign conflicts. Finally, mittnocchio and lyin ryan had their first intelligence briefing just before the debate. If he discusses arming the rebels than he may be giving away national security secrets. What a dumbass. Also he must not have a good grasp of history. Does he understand who bin Laden was before he became the #1 enemy of the US?

[William769]

46. Do you realize how homophobic you started off with your post is?

No matter what what you think of those two people, that statement is just unacceptable.

If you need to take your argument down to the lowest common denominator for something that is not even relevant, you lose before even starting.

[RKP5637]

85. +1000 +++ n/t

[Raine1967]

65. I'm gonna make a suggestion:

You're new here, I see. So let me make this suggestion: DON'T homophobia to prove a point. It is insulting to me and MANY other members of DU.

I strongly suggest that you edit this post. Specifically: Your first sentence.

[DevonRex]

69. You need to edit your first sentence.

It's a homophobic slur.

[David__77]

4. How shortsighted and dangerous...

Were it not for the misguided direction of the Obama administration on Syria, he could vigorous attack Romney for supporting terrorism in Syria.

[lexx21]

10. Misguided direction????? Are you serious?

Why should we get involved in THEIR civil war? Do you not remember what happened when we armed Afghanistan? They are using those weapons to shoot at our troops (along with soviet weapons). Granted Afghanistan was not a civil war but an invasion by the Soviets, but the point is the same. The worst thing we can do is to pour weapons into that country.

Did France, Spain, England, Germany, etc... step in and say "whoah now... let's cut this out" during our civil war? Some things we need to stay out of.

[jberryhill]

13. During our civil war...

...the British aided the south.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama_Claims

[lexx21]

21. Ok, point taken....

and I have had a few drinks...

BUT STILL.... we need to stay out of what is going on over there. That is one of the reasons that the M.E. hates us is that we stick our noses in every where it doesn't really belong. Syria can have a civil war and sort things out on their own. If they don't you will end up with an unstable government that can't hold things together. Look at Iraq, look at Afghanistan. We stepped in (ok, in Afghanistan we should have. I can agree with that) and now that sewer of the middle east is an even bigger sewer of the middle east.

Things are tribal in the middle east. Even Islam isn't a united affair. Putting our fingers in the pie only adds to the problems because if our "side" wins, the other Arab nations will see them as "western puppets".

Am I making sense here?

BTW I was married to a M.E. woman .... let me tell you, they are OLD SCHOOL CRAZY! But that's a different story all together. Just wanted to mention that because dealing with their people on a very personal basis for a couple of decades really gives you an insight. Know what I mean?

[jberryhill]

22. I would not extrapolate from my first wife to an entire region or ethnicity

[lexx21]

24. Oh lad... you don't know my ex wife.....

Trust me... you WOULD extrapolate.

Better yet... spend a few decades getting to know my ex-mother-in-law. I cannot even begin to... never mind. Unless you live it you can't understand it.

Very seriously. We don't understand the M.E. because we don't have the first iota of how to think like they do. What we see as rational and what they see as rational are COMPLETELY different. I know because I lived it for many many years. It is maddening.

[jberryhill]

26. You are hardly the first man ever to dislike his ex mother in law

And, no, don't get me started.

Still, I would not think her to be representative of what are no doubt the vast majority of good people from Yonkers.

If she were, I would favor arming anyone to take out Yonkers.

[lexx21]

30. You really need to marry someone from the M.E. and then get back with me.

Lets try a different tact of logic here....

Would you agree with this.......

1) The vast majority of common folks in the M.E are uneducated (not talking city dwellers, but dirt farmers)

2) Would you not agree that most people in the M.E. currently are prone to reaction to what their Imam tells them?

3) Would you not agree that ANY COUNTRY would find it offensive for an outside party to meddle in it's affairs?

4) Would you not agree that uneducated people are very easy to get "riled up" by someone with nefarious reasons? I.e. an Imam with a political agenda?

5) Would you not agree that since Syria has been a closed off country being controlled by a non-western friendly dictator that most Syrians would treat us with suspicion?

6) Would you not agree that getting involved in a civil war in Syria would be a war we could hardly afford at the moment?

In an interview that I watched with someone who actually spoke pashtun, a villager was quoted as saying "I don't care about the Taliban, I don't care about the U.S., I wish they would all go to hell and we could get on with our lives.

I think you will find that is the sentiment of most of the common people you will meet in the M.E.

[David__77]

25. This misguided direction is the taking sides.

The administration has funneled millions of dollars of equipment to armed insurgents. Not guns - not openly, anyway - but that is of little importance. I think you misunderstood me. I support the US staying out of it.

[wordpix]

75. and lest we forget IRAQ - stepped right into a civil war in that one, too

thanks to BushCheney and their Rummimucks

[arewenotdemo]

52. Absolutely agree.

And I'd just add that the Obama administration has been wrong on Libya, as well.

Don't give us the "we need to support democracy" BS, when democracy just means the tyranny of the majority.

Women's and minority rights should always be the aim!

[Amonester]

5. Chickenhawk RobMe wants to start WWIII with Russia...

and China?

So if he steals it, the Mayas were right about that December 21st????

[Voice for Peace]

17. what kinds of investments is he holding in war profits?

[wordpix]

82. My guess: plenty

[RKP5637]

86. I would dare say there is a significant involvement between Romney and the MIC. Money loves

money.

[JoePhilly]

42. You left out Mitt's desire to bomb Iran.

[OnlinePoker]

55. Obama will still be in power Dec 21st. n/t

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. Remind me, how did the Taliban get their start?

[Dawson Leery]

8. +1

[OldDem2012]

43. And specifically, Osama Bin Laden, a man who became a CIA partner?....

...Of course, it didn't help the situation at all when we pulled all US support as soon as the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in February 1989, about a month after George H. W. Bush's inauguration. I guess one could assume that Bush was closing the door on the Iran-Contra Scandal which was blamed on Reagan but was actually masterminded by Bush as Reagan's VP.

[EX500rider]

71. "Remind me, how did the Taliban get their start?"

In 1994 Mullah Omar and 30 followers freed two teenage girls from a local army base and hung the local governor from the barrel of a tank.

[Arctic Dave]

7. Does this qualify Romney to have predator

pay him a visit?

Preaching armed rebellion is a death sentence for some people.

[Grassy Knoll]

9. Is There a Con Who Doesn't promote war ?.......

The industrial military complex that Prez. Eisenhower explained Covers the WHY.
O & JOE 2012, FUCK CONS

[andym]

11. They're addressing holes in MR's resume

Polling probably tells them some have concerns about Romney's foreign policy expertise, so they're trying to fix it, by pretending Romney is already President. Disgusting.

[Voice for Peace]

18. disgusting indeed

[Posteritatis]

12. That probably turned some people into Assad fanboys.. (nt)

[Tx4obama]

14. Check this out, more regarding Romney's foreign speech planned for tomorrow, below

Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251125560

[Drunken Irishman]

15. I don't think this will play well...

Most Americans are so fucking tired of the war talk.

[Voice for Peace]

19. that's what I am thinking

and hoping.

[bushisanidiot]

64. Yep. Romney has shaken his fist at Russia, China, now Syria.

The american people will see that as a man determined to go to war with someone, anyone, just so he can be a war time president. meanwhile, our troops come home in body bags and our national debt increases.

i guess romney think war is cheap and easy.

[faith woos science]

20. I thought Obama already was mitty?

Exclusive: Obama authorizes secret U.S. support for Syrian rebels http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/01/us-usa-syria-obama-order-idUSBRE8701OK20120801

Obama authorizes secret U.S. support for Syrian rebels http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014183135#post19

[pampango]

36. "The White House is for now apparently stopping short of giving the rebels lethal weapons ...

From your Reuters link.

From the New York Times yesterday:

Citing U.S. Fears, Arab Allies Limit Syrian Rebel Aid

[leveymg]

41. No, regime change in Libya freed up 15K Libyan anti-air missiles for export. Not just to Syria.

There seems to have be some ambiguity in that weapons proliferation program, but it happened anyway.

[pampango]

48. Were we Americans better off with pro-American dictators in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia?

Were those dictators keeping us safe from terrorists by keeping their weapons stockpiles under tight control? "Regime change" is what most people who live under a dictatorship want.

Are you saying that US support for that in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt was some kind of surreptitious weapons proliferation program aimed at providing anti-air missiles to the Syrian opposition? UN Security Council Resolution 1973 was adopted on March 17, 2011. The protests against Assad in Syria had just begun two days earlier on March 15. It is hard to see UN/US/NATO action against Libya as intended as any kind of a weapons proliferation program aimed at Syrian opposition.

Should we have pushed Gaddafi, Ben Ali and Mubarak to fight their ungrateful citizens and supplied those selfless leaders with a flow of weapons (as Russia is doing for Syria) to make sure that local people knew their place and stayed in it? "You may not be happy living under a dictator, but for everyone's (especially our) good that has to be your fate. Besides you are Arabs and we all know you don't mind not having any rights."

From the way romney is talking, he would be on board with that.

[leveymg]

63. I'm saying, we did regime change in Libya despite knowing we'd likely have a MANPAD problem,

Last edited Mon Oct 8, 2012, 05:14 PM - Edit history (3)

and that many of these missiles would be going to Syria. I'm not saying we did regime change in Libya to send Gaddafi's SA-7 and SA-16 missiles and Benghazi Jihadis to Syria, just that we did it knowing that proliferation of both was a likely outcome, with a strong inkling of where many of them would end up.

Different intent, even if the same outcome.

There are several types of shoulder-operated MANPADs that were looted from Libyan arsenals. The photo below shows the SA-7 (left) and what appears to be an improved type 7 or the more capable SA-16 (right). In addition, there is an unknown number of SA-24, that are Stinger-equivalents, (as shown in the large photo below about to be hauled off in the cargo bed of Libyan rebel pickup truck). The threat posed by loose MANPADs was well understood by US officials (see, http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/asmp/MANPADS.html; http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/07/28/The_Taliban_Doesn%E2%80%99t_Have_Stingers), but these concerns were set aside in the rush to regime change in Tripoli that involved the US Ambassador after his arrival in Bengahzi during April last year directing Libyan rebel groups.



As for whether we should have done it, regardless, I have to ask you: was liberating Afghanistan and Kosovo from the Soviets "worth" the price of blowback we paid on 9/11? If you answer yes, I suggest you ask that question of the families of the victims and check yourself in for observation.

BTW: a major reason why we seem to have called a halt to escalating regime change in Syria (unless it's just a pause for the re-election) is that some people in Washington seem to have finally recognized the escalating dangers of blowback there, including the looting of Syria arsenals by our friends, the Salafists. Better late than never.

[daleo]

23. Oh. hurrah, another war. n/t

[Bozita]

27. Seeing as how you've adopted Dubya's foreign policy team, ... when do you want to invade?

And put it on the credit card, of course!

[Skittles]

28. spoken like a true chickenhawk

[Warpy]

29. What a fucking idiot.

We might be covertly arming them but it has had to be handled very carefully because they have a big bear in their front yard.

He'd just go in with popguns blazing and incur the wrath of both Russia and China.

PLEASE vote and keep this clueless dummy out of office!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

32. What's sad is this idiot is receiving intelligence briefings.

What next? Is he going to namedrop a leader of the resistance?

"Oops,....sorry about your family getting held until you surrender."

[BlueMTexpat]

34. In addition to all the other good points mentioned here,

I would also like to know exactly which of the rebel factions Mr Rmoney proposes to arm and exactly how much money he wants to spend in doing so?

The situation in Syria is a lot more complicated than the simplistic militaristic minds on Mr Rmoney's foreign policy team would like to make it seem. Here's one synopsis, for example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_civil_war#Non-state_parties_in_the_conflict

[Ash_F]

35. I wonder how much Mittens actually knows about Syrian politics?

Regardless of whether it would be the right thing to do, I wonder if he actually knows what he is talking about.















Probably not.

[safeinOhio]

37. So, he is going to arm

the Muslim Brotherhood of Syria? Isn't mitt the guy bitching about democracy in Libya and Egypt?

[Iggy]

38. Thus Again Proving Rmoney is as Dumb as a Fence Post

We likely have been arming the Syrian rebels for months now--

Just like we armed the Taliban/Mujahadeen fighters in the Afghan war against the old Soviet army.
that was the largest covert operation in U.S. history. Read the book Harry Wilson's War .. It's all there.

when we got the shoulder-launched Stinger missiles into the hands of the Mujahadeen, the war
ended shortly thereafter.

[bucolic_frolic]

40. Armageddonist

It's all in creating the conditions to fulfull Biblical prophecy.

[JoePhilly]

44. I think that is spelled ... ArMITTgeddon.

[heaven05]

57. mormons

don't believe in Armageddon. Just in mittytwit becoming the 'man of peace'.

[Javaman]

45. And isn't arming Syria similar to the way we armed the mujahideen

which led to our problems today? I'm not in anyway equating the Syrian rebels to the mujahideen, but as Obama stated this past week, giving heavy weapons to the rebels only increases the chances of these same weapons falling into terrorists hands.

mittens is a moron.

[madrchsod]

47. what rebel factions would he arm?

maybe mittens should read about the situation and the players in the syrian war before he decides who will or will not use the weapons against Jordan,Lebanon, or Israel.

[davidthegnome]

49. Tune in for tomorrow's Romney Statement:

"Superman wears Romney PJs, you know. I had to give him all kinds of tips about how to stop that giant asteroid and stuff. When I'm not playing golf with Batman (he needs to work on his game!) I'm usually very busy saving the world from the forces of evil."

[DallasNE]

50. Where Does Romney Think The Rebels Are Getting Their Arms From Today

No source on this but I would expect that many of the rebel arms are coming from Turkey with American help. It is a proxy war with Russia arming Assad either directly or indirectly through Iran. Doing what Romney proposes would mean Russia would counter that with the result being an escalation in civilian deaths so Romney needs to be careful with his simplistic rantings on foreign affairs. Not only that but Romney is not talking about foreign policy here but military tactics so what ever happened with "we only have one President at a time". It is like Colin Powell said of Romney not long ago, "think". Obviously, Romney has not heeded Powell's sage advise.

[arewenotdemo]

56. Why are we supporting the Syrian rebels in any way?

If anything, we should be supporting Assad, not helping to turn Syria into another Libya or fragmenting it like we did Iraq.

[UnseenUndergrad]

88. On behalf of the Libya crowd

I can only say...


wut?

[Sunlei]

53. Romney going to pay for his world war and send his sons and grandkids?

[wordpix]

76. +1000, good questions for the next debate, esp. the one about the sons

Of course the answer to both your q's is NO but great q about the sons for the debate. I dare O or the mod to ask it

[bushisanidiot]

54. In other words, he would participate in nation building and use our tax payer money to do it

and you KNOW he would send our troops off to be killed there as well.

republicans do not know how to NOT start wars. they only have a one-way switch.

[hexola]

58. Speaking now...

[hexola]

59. "find members of the opposition who share our values..."

This sounds like pre-war BushCo cluelessness...

[bamacrat]

60. Hmmm seems like we did this in the 80's.....

And from what I remember it didn't work out too well...

[toddwv]

61. Mitt Romney: The Neocons' wetdream.

Mitt is already writing expensive checks with his mouth that the neocons are going to expect the American taxpayer to pay.

[Nativechef]

62. This isn't real bright

Doesn't this clown understand that Syria's two biggest supporters in the UN are Russia and China. You make a knee jerk reaction move like supplying arms the the Syrian Rebels and you loose any possible UN support from these two countries should the US need them at some later date.

[argueta]

66. Polemic Video: Mitt Romney Sleight of Hand Cheating Slow Mo Close UP (Presidential Debate 2012)

Polemic Video: Mitt Romney Sleight of Hand Cheating Slow Mo Close UP (Presidential Debate 2012)

[aquart]

67. None of his sons will die.

[Megahurtz]

68. Proof Rmoney is a Warmongering Psycho. n/t

[Diego_Native 2012]

70. Even the Israelis don't want this.

Listening to Israelis response on BBC. They were completely against waging an Iran/US proxy war in Syria. Not to mention Mitt ignores some very real bit of history with the indiscriminate arming of rebels.

[underpants]

72. More weapons in Syria could trigger 'all-out war' -- Mitt grandstanding is NOT FOREIGN POLICY

It was also a day when Gov. Mitt Romney pledged that, if elected president, he’d change the course of events here.

Among other things, he wants to green-light heavy weapons to the Syrian rebels “who share our values” in order to “defeat the tanks, helicopters and fighter jets” of the Bashar Assad regime.

For its part, the Obama administration says it has refrained from supplying the rebels with weapons out of concern that they could end up in terrorist hands.


“If Turkey, a NATO member, is fed up and invades Syria, NATO would have no choice but to intervene in Syria. And you can bet that Iran would become involved, and this could quickly turn into a region-wide conflict between Turkey, NATO, Saudi Arabia and Qatar on the one hand, and Iran, Iraq, Hezbollah and Syria on the other.”

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/08/14298721-more-weapons-in-syria-could-trigger-all-out-war?lite

[bushisanidiot]

74. "More War Mitt"

ready and willing to send YOUR son, daughter, husband, wife, aunt, cousin, sister, brother, or best friend off to war just because HE CAN.

[wordpix]

77. kinda goes with "Tax Dodge Mitt"

[WCGreen]

78. Seven Psychopaths..

[RKP5637]

79. Romney = WWIII. Think of the money for the MIC. The US would be despised by most of the

world if Romney were president. It would be Bush Jr. on steroids.

[bushisanidiot]

95. Yep. ROMNEY = WWIII

good call.

[Socal31]

90. Good idea.

It isn't like this backfired in Afghanistan. Or Iraq.

[Franker65]

91. Best reason to vote for Obama

Frightening - he should know the US can't afford another war.

[OldDem2012]

94. At what point will Romney be told to send advisers and then troops after that?....

Slippery slope for a guy that can't seem to find roots in any single issue.