Policy Mic: Mitt Romney Foreign Policy Speech: Romney Never Served, and is Unfit to Push a Pro War Agenda
By Truman Project Staff | 10.9.12
Truman Fellow Chris Miller writes in Policy Mic on Romney’s ability to lead foreign policy
When Americans go to the polls to elect a president, they most often have domestic issues on their minds despite the fact that the constitutional duties of the presidency concern mostly international policy, foreign affairs, and national security. Being commander in chief of our military and intelligence apparatus is the most awesome responsibility of the office because wrong decisions get people killed. Mitt Romney has talked tough on national security policy throughout his campaign, most recently in his speech at the Virginia Military Institute. Despite the tough talk, Romney lacks the military and national security experience which being commander in chief requires.
Romney never served in the military, though he does assert he wished he had during Vietnam. In fact, no Romney has served in uniform for America in the last century. His great-grandfather and grandfather lived on missions in Mexico and Utah. His father did not serve. Mitt Romney himself received multiple draft deferments during the Vietnam War while he was a college student and a missionary in France. None of Gov. Romney’s five sons has served either.
