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Meh. Sounds like a non-story. But my thoughts, for what they're worth. Legolas Send a noteboard - 02/09/2012 11:05:52 PM
1) How hawkish does Romney strike you outside of his necessary campaign leanings? And how likely is he to surround himself with hawks?

I'm inclined to say hawk or not doesn't even matter much at this point - there is no money and no public support to engage in a new war, not unless America's hand is forced so badly that pretty much any president would have to make the call - Syria taking the genocide against its own population too far, or Iran attacking Israel.

Though for what it's worth, Romney doesn't really strike me as particularly hawkish. He doesn't strike me as having much of a particular interest in foreign policy in general, really. And one can hope that if president he would appoint somebody serious at State - Powell is probably not an option anymore since he's shown himself too blatantly liberal, but Rice or Lugar or someone like that would be good.
2) From the perspective of a hawk, how apparent will be the necessity or foolishness of another war in the middle east in the next four years?

There's absolutely no money, momentum or desire for Iraq-like wars. If at all possible, they'll deal with an escalating Syria Bosnia-style (or Libya-style, I guess we should call it now). If Israel and Iran face off... that could really turn out many different ways, but American troops on Iranian soil seems like a fairly extreme result.
3) Would a second Obama administration really be any different on that score from a first Romney administration?

Not too much, no. Although a Romney administration would be even more useless with regards to the Israeli-Palestine conflict than an Obama one, judging by what he's said so far. But then, I find it increasingly hard to see what an American president can still contribute to the solution of that conflict. Looks like in the end it'll be the two countries themselves that will have to do the hard work - neither's allies are really all that helpful when you get down to it.
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Biden claims Romney wants war with Syria and Iran. - 02/09/2012 10:48:24 PM 862 Views
Meh. Sounds like a non-story. But my thoughts, for what they're worth. - 02/09/2012 11:05:52 PM 472 Views
Biden should be busy preparing to debate Ryan so he is not shredded, instead of saying stupid things - 02/09/2012 11:52:35 PM 536 Views
+1 - Biden is going to get destroyed by Ryan..... - 03/09/2012 02:23:49 AM 350 Views
I try not to think about it. - 03/09/2012 02:47:33 AM 556 Views
We should introduce a new military doctrine - 03/09/2012 02:46:33 AM 425 Views
I still think the post-war Axis powers the best model, but that requires equivalent manpower. - 03/09/2012 03:57:12 AM 461 Views
It's a terrible model. - 03/09/2012 11:42:36 PM 346 Views
Re: It's a terrible model. - 04/09/2012 04:09:21 AM 534 Views
I recently read Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers, about a regiment from the 101st in WW2. - 04/09/2012 10:29:01 PM 488 Views
wars they didn't start themselves? how do you figure that? - 04/09/2012 10:45:07 PM 411 Views
I said start. I quite agree with you about the things that went on after the wars themselves ended. - 05/09/2012 08:51:58 PM 492 Views
shooting at our aircraft is none hostile? - 05/09/2012 10:06:07 PM 433 Views
Eh. It's not the beginning of a war, no. - 05/09/2012 10:31:52 PM 451 Views
An act of war is almost by definition the beginning of a war. - 23/09/2012 04:58:25 AM 439 Views
It is very difficult to reconcile this post with Toms. - 04/09/2012 11:50:06 PM 390 Views
Yes, I noticed that. - 05/09/2012 09:27:14 PM 430 Views
Apparently I only THOUGHT I responded to this post (sorry.) - 23/09/2012 04:30:47 AM 444 Views
Thanks Tom, Joel, and Legolas. *NM* - 03/09/2012 03:56:56 PM 133 Views
I don't think Romney is that interested in starting a war with anyone - 04/09/2012 02:39:14 PM 459 Views
Re: Biden claims Romney wants war with Syria and Iran. - 05/09/2012 04:22:51 AM 425 Views

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