Romney Israel Trip: Mitt Romney and Benjamin Netanyahu Are Best Friends

Mitt Romney is officially on his long-awaited foreign policy tour, and I can’t help but wonder what kinds of empty promises he’ll make since he holds absolutely no diplomatic clout as of now, and if he does end up in office, will more than likely renege on whatever those promises are once he starts getting the daily intelligence brief. 

Most people at this point just want to know what Romney’s policy plans are in general since they have been extraordinarily difficult to sum up. However, it’s clear he believes in a dangerous version of American exceptionalism and holds hawkish views towards U.S. adversaries based on his policy white paper. 

But my aggravation aside, let’s take a look at where he’s headed and why.

The United Kingdom

Well this was my first surprise, not because he is headed to Great Britain, but because Israel wasn’t his first stop. This is a typical place to go for any U.S. diplomat, never mind a possible president. Not only is Britain our strongest ally, but we also share a long history, have similar cultures, and similar foreign policy goals. Somehow I doubt that Mitt knows what those goals are, but maybe the pilot clued him in on the plane ride over. Hint: Russia is NOT our biggest geopolitical foe, Mitt.

Israel

Well, surprise, surprise! Another hopeful president-to-be is heading off to the Promised Land to pay respects to someone who is considered a war criminal to many people. I’m talking about Benjamin Netanyahu, or “Bibi.”  Romney and Bibi share a special relationship that goes back over 35 years. They met in 1976 at the Boston Consulting Group where they both worked, and have been besties ever since. No surprise then that Romney shares Netanyahu’s hawkish stance on Iran, chastises President Obama for not being tougher on the matter, and recently had this to say about the Palestinians: 

"There are some people who say, should we have a two-state solution? And the Israelis would be happy to have a two-state solution. It's the Palestinians who don't want a two-state solution. They want to eliminate the state of Israel."

Well, talk about painting with a broad brush. Bibi isn’t too keen on the Palestinians either, and I’m sure Romney will do the same brown-nosing as any other presidential hopeful if he wants any shot at getting elected. Suffice it to say that a Romney White House would take great strides to appease Israeli leaders. That darned Israel lobby is quite the force in Washington…

Poland

Ok, I admit it; I had to cheat on why the hell Mitt Romney is going to Poland on his third stop. I can think of a few more important places to go, but that’s another article. Apparently the true reason Mitt is headed there is to appeal to Catholic voters in America to try and win swing states. Unnecessary! Doesn’t Romney know that he’ll win those states as long as Republican lawmakers can enact their strict new voter ID laws, like the ones in Ohio and Pennsylvania?

Regardless of where he goes, the only person who will really benefit from Mitt Romney going overseas is Mitt Romney. Unless of course he stays there, then we all win!!!