|
|
|
The Objectives
Romney believes that our continued presence should be decided by
the military’s top brass, cautions that we should not be making
similar commitments in the future. He also stressed that the bulk
of the responsibility lies with the Afghanis.
“I want those troops to come home based upon not politics,
not based upon economics, but instead based upon the conditions
on the ground determined by the generals … But I also think we
have learned that our troops should not go off and try to fight a
war of independence for another nation. Only the Afghanis can
win Afghanistan’s independence from the Taliban.”
13 June 2011, Republican Presidential Debate in New Hampshire.
Cost
Romney believes our policy in Afghanistan should not be based on
the economic costs alone.
“There will be some who argue it’s too expensive now,
we’ve got to bring the troops home right now, or others will
say, politically we need to make one decision or another … You
don’t make a decision about our involvement in a conflict based
on dollars and cents alone or certainly not with regards to
politics.”
14 June 2011, New York Times
Pakistan
AFP reported that Romney made a private visit to Afghanistan in
January 2010, and had a closed door meeting with President Hamid
Karzai. Karzai’s office subsequently released a statement on
January 10 that quoted Romney as saying, “ … the US is
well aware of terrorists' presence in Pakistan and its border
regions and this is a threat to Pakistan and Afghanistan … The
situation in Pakistan is an indicator that terrorists are not
only attacking Afghanistan but are causing lots of troubles for
Pakistan too”.
From here, it is clear that Romney views there are elements of
threat originating from Pakistan, but has not elaborated on this
statement since.
|
|
|
|
|
• Mike Huckabee has expressed his full support for the war in
Afghanistan and is also of the impression that the "war should
not be judged while the United States is in the midst of it."
• Huckabee agrees that the Al Qaeda is a threatening cancer
diagnosed in Afghanistan but drives home the theory that one does
not deal with cancer by "pretending it doesn't exist."
• He is all praise for President Obama's wise decisions
regarding the war on terror in Afghanistan and feels everyone
should extend their 'non-partisan' support to the President as he
aims to finish America's international involvement in the
eight-year Afghanistan war.
• However, he has expressed his displeasure in withdrawing the
American troops from America in July 2011. Huckabee has brushed
aside this timetable as 'a huge mistake' and is not too
optimistic that President Obama will be able to stick to his time
line, without running the risk of ultimately abandoning it.
• Huckabee has reasons for his opposition of a public timetable
and justifies it with the simple theory that the Taliban, Al
Qaeda and the Afghan locals will perceive this mention of a
specific date as evidence that the American troops will, most
certainly, leave the country within the first few days of July
2011. This step alone, Huckabee feels, is a wrong message that
will demoralize the Afghan and Pakistani armed forces and make
the countries more unstable.
• According to Huckabee, the Afghanistan government has been
highly disappointing and clearly stated that the US cannot
withdraw.
• Huckabee continues to insist his viewpoint that neighboring
countries should extend their support, both militarily and
financially.
|
Compare Mike Huckabee and
|
|
|
|
