Alexander Wickham
Mitt Romney might not be every right-winger’s favourite for the Republicanpresidential nomination, but in the South Carolina debate made what I saw arguably as the best point of any of his rivals during the race so far.
In a discussion centered on foreign policy, the former Massachusetts governorquite compellingly claimed that ‘if you re-elect Barack Obama, Iran will have anuclear weapon. If you elect Mitt Romney, it will not’.
For ‘Mitt Romney’ read ‘any Republican candidate’, and the point is driven home.
There are plenty of reasons to oppose Obama’s re-election, from his handlingof the economy to his controversial healthcare reforms. But perhaps hisgravest failure – and one that has not received the attention it deserves – is Iran.
Early on in his presidency Obama used an unprecedented video message tooffer a ‘new beginning’ to the Iranian people. He grandly promised to ‘extenda hand to those who cling to power through corruption and deceit, if you arewilling to unclench your fist’. The problem is that Obama’s appeasing handwas recklessly offered despite, as last week’s IAEA report confirmed, Iran’sfist remaining firmly and emphatically clenched.
As we now know, the consequences of Obama’s impotent foreign policy havebeen damaging, if not disastrous.
His likely response will be harsher economic sanctions, a policy that hasproved dangerously ineffective in the past. The Republican candidates canhurt Obama here. If, as they did on Saturday, Romney and Herman Cain cansuccessfully argue the need for a tougher stance on Iran – for example in theiradvocacy of ‘covert action’ – then they can put Obama on the back foot.
The president’s one strength ironically lies in his opponents’ greatestweakness: personality. While Obama was (at least previously) able to portrayhimself as some charismatic, messianic hero, Romney is seen by many asboring, Cain as lecherous, Bachmann as eccentric, Perry as blundering.
If the Republicans can move the debate away from personality and on topolicy then they are capable of consigning Obama to a one-term presidency.On issues like Iran they are strong and he is weak. This weekend the rightwounded Obama; if the lessons from South Carolina are learned then thiscould prove very fruitful for the Republicans indeed.
Alexander Wickham is a British freelance journalist currently writing for The Commentator, the Adam Smith Institute and the Huffington Post, among others.
Comments