Iran, WMD's - Romney's Next Lie?????

 This bit – grab my attention yesterday in an interview on Democracy Now:

Now, Mitt Romney, on the other hand, I think in a sense of wanting to really show his military might without having the service, would increase the military budget by nearly $8 trillion over the next 10 years, without really any explanation for what that funding would go for, other than of course maybe some of the bellicose comments he’s making about Iran.

That 8 trillion dollar “increase” quote is not shared by all the media reporting – but it makes a great statement to start the post and grab attention.

May 2012:  Compared to the Pentagon's current budget, Romney's plan would lead to $2.1 trillion in additional spending over the next ten years,

According to those principles, Romney would increase defense spending to $7.9 trillion between 2013 and 2022, says the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. By comparison, Ryan would spend $5.7 trillion on core defense over the same period—only 72 percent of what Romney wants to spend.

And how will some those trillions of dollars in military be spent?

Romney:  I do not anticipate those savings will be able to be used to reduce the deficit but instead will be necessary to increase the number of active-duty personnel by approximately 100,000,

I wonder if that includes the reimplementation of the draft?

Why would Romney need to increase active duty by approximately 100,000?????

Well……

At a meeting with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem, the US defence secretary, Leon Panetta, says Washington will do all it can to prevent Iran developing a nuclear weapon. But Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, warns time for peaceful resolution is running out.

Ya, so..............

In a telling exchange during a debate in December, Mr. Romney criticized Mr. Gingrich for making a disparaging remark about Palestinians, declaring: “Before I made a statement of that nature, I’d get on the phone to my friend Bibi Netanyahu and say: ‘Would it help if I say this? What would you like me to do?’ “

"What would you like me to do?"

Is that a $10,000 bet?

Or a 100,000 bet?

Really???????

REALLY?????

Martin S. Indyk, a United States ambassador to Israel in the Clinton administration, said that whether intentional or not, Mr. Romney’s statement implied that he would “subcontract Middle East policy to Israel.”

“That, of course, would be inappropriate,” he added.

But would Romney really get on the phone to his friend Netanhayu?

Really - or is that just an exaggeration?

Really - you betcha!!!!

A few years later, Mr. Romney had dinner with Mr. Netanyahu at a private home in the Jewish quarter of the Old City, in central Jerusalem, where the two spent hours discussing the American and Israeli economies. When Mr. Netanyahu informed Mr. Romney of a personal campaign to persuade American pension funds to divest from businesses tied to Iran, Mr. Romney offered up his Rolodex.

Before he left Israel, Mr. Romney set up several meetings with government officials in the United States for his old colleague. “I immediately saw the wisdom of his thinking,” Mr. Romney said.

Back in Massachusetts, Mr. Romney sent out letters to legislators requesting that the public pension funds they controlled sell off investments from corporations doing business with Iran.

You see Romney and Netanyahu are old friends as noted in the New York times article “A Friendship Dating to 1976 Resonates in 2012” that the above quote is taken from

Be afraid people – be very afraid.

Be vigilant and aware - people

Romney was asked about the Fly/Kristol article on Face the Nation on Sunday. He responded:

    I can assure you if I'm President, the Iranians will have no question but that I would be willing to take military action, if necessary, to prevent them from becoming a nuclear threat to the world. I don't believe at this stage, therefore, if I'm President, that we need to have war powers approval or a special authorization for military force. The President has that capacity now.

It’s worth pausing a moment to consider the magnitude of this statement. Romney is saying that he doesn’t need Congressional approval for a US attack on Iran.

Mitt Romney, on the other hand, I think in a sense
of wanting to really show his military might
without having the service,

Romney – another Bush Jr.

Machismo – by bombs.

Be vigilant and aware - people 

Be afraid people – be very afraid.