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Romney: U.S. Can Learn from Hezbollah
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ShareJuly 29, 2007 4:50 PM
ABC News' Teddy Davis and Matt Stuart Reports: Mitt Romney promises to combat Hezbollah, the militant Islamic group which warred with Israel last summer, if elected president. But he also thinks Hezbollah’s work establishing health clinics and schools in southern Lebanon hold important lessons for the United States.
"Did you notice in Lebanon what Hezbollah did?" Romney asked Friday during a town-hall meeting in Iowa. "Lebanon became a democracy some time ago. And while their government was getting underway, Hezbollah went into southern Lebanon and provided health clinics to some of the people there and schools, and they built their support by having done so. That kind of diplomacy is something that would help America become stronger around the world and help people understand that our interest is an interest toward modernity and goodness and freedom for all people of the world."
Romney’s effort to learn from Hezbollah’s work in establishing health care and schools is part of a broader effort on his part to make nurturing the "foundations of liberty" a priority in U.S. foreign policy.
In order to defeat what he calls the "scourge of global Jihad," Romney supports expanding the size of the military. But he also favors strengthening the "democratic underpinnings of a country." To achieve this, Romney has called for jointly coordinating U.S. military power with what he calls the "civilian instruments of democracy."
For each region of the world, Romney would give one civilian in the U.S. government -- whom he would call a "Deputy" -- integrated control over American resources in the areas of education, health, banking, energy, commerce, law enforcement, and diplomacy.
"They will be heavy hitters, with recognized reputations around the world," said Romney while outlining his foreign-policy vision at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in Houston on April 10. "They must be given objectives, budgets, and responsible oversight."
Romney spokesman Kevin Madden told ABC News that the former Massachusetts governor views Hezbollah as a "bloodthirsty" terrorist organization which has "smothered" the progress of the people and nations where it has built its network, "Lebanon serving as an example."
"These terror organizations cannot and should not be allowed to gain an advantage with the citizenry in Muslim nations just because they mask their terror agenda with an offering of some vital services," Madden continued. "By working with moderate Muslims to break down and defeat terror organizations like Hezbollah militarily, we can then turn to a new ‘Marshall Plan’ approach that strengthens the foundations of freedom and prosperity in burgeoning Middle East democracies."
July 29, 2007 in Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (8)
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Wouldn't the terrorists simply blow up any clinics built by the US?
Posted by: JustReasonable | Jul 29, 2007 7:22:11 PM
First, Fred Thompson chooses Spencer Abraham for his campaign manager and now Romney begins blathering on about how we need to build more democracies in the Middle East by lavishing (presumably) billions of dollars in a new "Marshall Plan," all the while "learning" from such noble teachers as the cutthroats from Hamas. The only genuine players in the race are Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo.
Posted by: gunjam | Jul 29, 2007 8:47:00 PM
We're going to be in that region for a long time. We must have a plan. You can't throw your hands up in the air and say that just picking up camp is a good thing. Romney is not talking about "globlalization". That is non sense. Who has a plan? You can't just pick up and go .
I do agree we have plenty of problems here in America, the government can not fix America. Only the people can. The bigger govenment gets, the worse off we are as a nation. To bad there is no accountability to master ones self. There is only interest to look out for self.
Our culture, our government, and our lawyers and judges are in the business of creating a nation of addicts. From every social class, high and low, rich and poor, we are a nation with many sexual perverts, drug addicts, and fame seeking, power hungry, glory hounds.
Posted by: big G | Jul 29, 2007 10:03:15 PM
Ron Paul? Are you serious? He's not even at 3%. Heck, I'm not sure if he's even at 2%!
Posted by: Stoic Patriot | Jul 30, 2007 10:29:13 AM
Yes, we noticed that Hezbollah provided some services that gave them access to brainwashing the people.
Much the same as the Palestinians started to do with Mickey Mouse.....until Disney became irate.
Brainwashing is brainwashing.....using services to gain the access, doesn't make it ok.
Romney just dropped a bunch, on my list.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | Jul 30, 2007 11:05:52 AM
Romney
For abortion before he was against it
For gay rights before he was against them
For gun control before he was against it
And now he is saying we should be like Hezbollah?
How frightening is that
Posted by: Sandy | Jul 31, 2007 1:35:16 AM
Romney went off the deep end here.
Kind of like the time when he touted Hitler's philosophy on energy dependence.
Posted by: sampo | Aug 1, 2007 6:10:11 PM
I certainly agree with Gov. Romney!
Posted by: Caroline | Aug 2, 2007 3:11:47 PM
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