Romney came out swinging today, questioning Obama’s remark that the difficulties in the Middle East are just bumps in the road:
Bumps in the road? We had an ambassador assassinated, we had a Muslim Brotherhood member elected to the presidency of Egypt, 20,000 people have been killed in Syria, we have tumult in Pakistan, and or course Iran is that much closer to having the capacity to build a nuclear weapon. These are not bumps in the road. These are human lives, these are developments we do not want to see.
This is time for a president who will shape events in the Middle East, not just be at mercy of the events in the Middle East. I will get American on track to have the kind of leadership we need so we can shape the future of this part of the world and keep America strong!
Also of note, John Bolton released a statement this morning condemning Obama’s remarks that Israel’s concerns about Iran are just “noise”:
“President Obama recently characterized Israel’s concern about the prospect of a nuclear Iran as ‘noise,’ and, to add insult to injury, knocked Israel down a notch to simply ‘one of our closest allies in the region.’ But the fact of the matter is that Israel is without a doubt our closest and most reliable ally in the region. Its concerns about an Iran armed with a nuclear weapon aren’t simply noise; they are central not only to self-preservation and security, but also to peace. These comments offer just the latest indication that President Obama doesn’t fully grasp the seriousness of the foreign policy challenges facing our nation.”