Romney Sticks With Bush Iraq Policy
Despite rising opposition to the war, presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Wednesday that he is sticking with President Bush's "surge" strategy of sending a wave of extra troops into Iraq, at least until the fall.
Romney told U.S. News that he hopes status reports expected in September from the military and other official sources will clarify how things are going and whether the administration's strategy is working. The Republican hopeful said he understands that frustration with the war is increasing, not only among the public but also among Republican voters and GOP congressional leaders.
Republican Sens. Richard Lugar of Indiana and George Voinovich of Ohio both expressed renewed doubts about the war in public statements this week.
But in a wide-ranging, hourlong interview in New York City, where Romney was making a fundraising push in advance of this weekend's deadline for reporting second-quarter cash totals, the candidate said he is willing to give the surge a bit longer to work. He said he understands public and congressional frustration with the war, given the almost daily reports of bad news from Iraq. But he added that it's "too early to call the surge a failure."
Romney wants the administration to publicize the "metrics" it will be using to evaluate progress in Iraq this fall, when several reports on the Iraq involvement are due. Among the factors that Romney says must be considered are how much the Iraqi military has improved in providing security and how many neighborhoods the Iraqis have been able to clear and hold in their struggle against the insurgents. He expressed concern that, if the administration doesn't explain the metrics it will be using to assess the effort, President Bush will open himself up to criticism that he is basing his case for further involvement only on the positive factors, not on a fair and comprehensive review of conditions in Iraq.
Romney also said he has become more willing to address "the Mormon issue" head-on perhaps in a high-profile speech later this year. He said he hadn't thought such a speech would be necessary until very recently, as his critics have raised anew the issue of his faith, describing it as little more than a cult. Romney told U.S. News that the series of attacks have been very unfair and "may well change my thinking" about a clear-the-air speech.
He noted that in 1960, John F. Kennedy gave a major speech about his Roman Catholicism, declaring that on matters of public policy, he would always put the country first. While Romney expressed doubt that he could match Kennedy's eloquence, he said delivering such a speech might be wise later this year.
The former Massachusetts governor is trailing in national polls but has now moved into the lead among GOP voters in the early-decision states of Iowa and New Hampshire.
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