Romney Violates Fundamental Principles

“The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims — as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.”

This is the statement issued by the Cairo embassy six hours before the embassy was breached and before the tragedy in Libya.  Romney's response violated fundamental principles.

1. Patriotism.  During an international crisis we have one elected president.  Reagan had the good sense to support Carter when the hostage rescue failed.
2. Timing.  Do not start sweeping before the dust has settled.  Romney spoke too soon.  He has some cleanup to do.
3. Credibility.  Truth matters when the nation's attention is focused.  The statement was made before the embassy was breached.  It was not an apology.  It did not violate American principles.  The first reaction post attack was to condemn it, both by the embassy and by Secretary Clinton.
4. Delegation.  A key Republican credo is to push down decision making closer the the people impacted.  Obamacare is OK if adopted by a state.  Social programs should be block grants to the states.  The president is wrong to fail to take the recommendations of generals responsible for military operations.  But,  decisions made by an embassy attempting to defuse a crisis are given no weight by Romney.  Note that the ambassador is not a political crony.  She was appointed by GW as ambassador to Pakistan, before her current posting.
5. Religious tolerance.  Religious freedom is part of the Romney stump speech. Requiring church owned businesses to provide the same contraception coverage as other businesses is condemned.  In its strict construction religious freedom is the right to worship where you choose without government interference.  Separate legislation prevents religious discrimination in employment and in other sectors of the economy.  But it is the social tolerance of minority religious beliefs that makes it possible for a Mormon to run for president.  Freedom of speech would permit us to say, that Mormons are polygamists who defile underage virgins and perform animal sacrifices in their secret services.  Condemning that statement would not violate freedom of speech or core American principles.
6. Wisdom.  Wisdom is the fruit of pairing intelligence with experience.  Romney has the intelligence, but his lack of foreign policy experience, or of a top flight foreign policy team, is showing.  An anti-Islamic film could not be made in Egypt, so an explanation is necessary.   A shimmering statement about the American right of free speech might have sufficed in a secular and universally literate European country.  But we are dealing with theocratic or semi-theocratic states, with largely illiterate populations that accept the word of their mullahs without question.  The statement was aimed at those mullahs and the government.  It might have succeeded but for events in Libya, and some extremist mullahs.
7. Politics.  The unemployment of so many Americans is the path to Romney's employment as president.  Switching the subject to foreign policy, Obama's strong suit, is bad politics.  
 

Blind ambition is not a vision for the future of America.  Romney offers nothing else.