The big issues of the coming campaign are not in question. The economy, America’s growing debt, unemployment, and the role of entitlements (read: government) in Americans lives are crux of the 2012 battle for the White House. Highlighting the negative results in these areas is Mitt Romney, best hand for winning the election.

Nonetheless, foreign policy issues and threats are looming above America’s head in a big way, and will need to be addressed. The conventional wisdom is that Romney has little foreign policy and relations experience. President Obama’s own lack of experience in this area notwithstanding, his campaign zeroed in on this one reason that Romney is not the right man for job.

Governor and Romney advisor Tim Pawlenty addressed this viewpoint and other foreign policy concerns today in a symposium held by the Foreign Policy Initiative. Moderated by board member and Fox news analyst Bill Kristal, the event gave Pawlenty a forum to address how a Romney Presidency would look like in the area of foreign relations. The big take away from the event was Pawlenty’s view that Romney is on the right track.

“Romney has the right foundational and directional philosophy to make the correct decisions.” Pawlenty followed this up by reminding everyone in attendance that Reagan did not have extensive foreign policy experience. His worldview is what allowed him to be an effective foreign policy President.

Channeling Reagan is something that most, if not all, republicans attempt to do. It does not matter whether it is taxes, the economy, or dealing with America’s challenges abroad. Still, there is a large grain of truth to his statement. Governors of either party seldom have extensive foreign policy and relations experience. Their duties at times lightly touch the area, but their primary function is running their states. The lack of experience has to be made up with study and experienced, sound advisors.

Underlying it all, however, is the philosophy of the person in charge. The President can have a mindset like Carter or Winston Churchill. How he views Americas role and his mindset sets the agenda for who he has as advisers, what diplomacy targets he set, and what he will do and not do with America’s armed forces.

Pawlenty was critical of the philosophy President Obama has taken. “President Obama has decided to lead from behind. To have America take a less active role as leader in the world. That has not worked out well.” Examples given of this view were the “reset with Russia,” as the President calls it, and the missed opportunity in the Iranian uprising.

The financial challenges the country faces are grave, but the potential threats of Iran, Russia, and China are like a Damocles sword above the neck of Uncle Sam. Romney cannot afford to let the view of the President set America’s view of him in this area. The knowledge and philosophy that Pawlenty speaks of must be in full view to the American public. Foreign policy may not be issue one this election cycle, but it still cannot be allowed to be ignored.

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Washington, U.S.A. — Following Congressman Akin’s controversial remarks on Sunday, the Romney-Ryan campaign quickly released the following statement: “Governor Romney and Congressman (Paul) Ryan disagree with Mr. Akin’s statement, and a Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape.”

After praising Congressman Ryan’s pro-personhood record in a press release last week, Personhood USA has now expressed concern about the appearance of compromise on the part of Congressman Ryan.

“Personhood USA does not endorse political candidates, but we had hoped that Congressman Ryan would be a good influence on Governor Romney, considering Romney’s liberal abortion record,” explained Jennifer Mason, Communications Director for Personhood USA. “Reading today that babies conceived in rape should suffer the death penalty under a Romney-Ryan administration is extremely concerning, and indicates that Congressman Ryan’s pro-woman and pro-baby positions would have little influence if he wins the office of Vice President of the United States.”

In December, Personhood USA asked GOP Presidential hopefuls to sign a “Personhood Pledge,” affirming the Republican party platform and following in the steps of President Ronald Reagan. Governor Mitt Romney declined to sign the prolife pledge.

Personhood USA spokesperson Rebecca Kiessling, who was conceived in rape, has had the opportunity to speak to many presidential hopefuls over the past five years. When speaking with Governor Mitt Romney several years ago, Rebecca commented that he was largely unresponsive and seemingly disinterested. By contrast, Rebecca’s conversation with Texas Governor Rick Perrymade headline news, with Governor Perry stating, ”Looking in her eyes, I couldn’t come up with an answer to defend the exceptions for rape and incest.”

“As someone who really cares about rape victims, I want to protect them from the rapist, and from the abortion, but not the baby. A baby is not the worst thing that could ever happen to a rape victim — an abortion is,” explained Kiessling. “We need to educate the American public on the truth in this matter and not make public policy based on myth and misinformation.”

“Governor Romney claims to be prolife, but it appears he is prolife with exceptions – if the baby was conceived in rape, it seems that Romney does not believe that baby has a right to life. This position is contrary to the Republican party platform and contrary to the beliefs of prolife Americans nationwide. All babies have a right to live, regardless of the circumstances of their conception,” concluded Mason

Image Courtesy of   NewsHour

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Former 2012 Presidential Candidate Jon Huntsman has announced that he will not be going to the GOP National Convention in August. The Former Utah Governor has attended every GOP Convention since 1984 when he was a delegate for Ronald Reagan. At the last Convention Huntsman announced the Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.

Obama’s former ambassador to China told the Salt Lake Tribune: “I will not be attending this year’s convention, nor any Republican convention in the future, until the party focuses on a bigger, bolder, more confident future for the United States – a future based on problem solving, inclusiveness, and a willingness to address the trust deficit, which is every bit as corrosive as our fiscal and economic deficits.”

Huntsman left the presidential race in January of this year and endorsed Mitt Romney as the Republican candidate. Huntsman won three delegates during the race, two when he took third place in the New Hampshire primary and one from Texas. These three delegates would have guaranteed Huntsman a speaking part at the Convention.

Former New Hampshire GOP Chairman Fergus Cullen claims that Huntsman’s comments represent the independent nature of the former candidate.

This is not the first time Huntsman has butted heads with Republicans this year. In March of this year Huntsman was dropped from a Republican National Committee event that was being held in Palm Beach after comments he made about having a third party in America.

Huntsman stated, “I think we’re going to have problems politically until we get some sort of third party movement or some voice out there that can put forth new ideas. We might not win, but we can certainly influence the debate.” Huntsman was lined up to speak at the “Regents” event but was informed personally by the RNC Chairman Reince Preibus that he would not be allowed to attend.

Huntsman is not the only Republican who was invited and is not going to the Convention. Virginia Senate Candidate George Allen is also planning to not attend, but not for ideological reasons. Instead, the candidate claims that he wants to stay in state to talk to constituents and continue to campaign.

Similarly, many Democrats are skipping the Democratic Convention in September 2012 to try to garner more votes. Representative Steve Israel, the head of the House Campaign side of the Democratic Party, encouraged those who are running for election in 2012 to stay home because “if they want to win an election, they need to be in their district” he added “I don’t care if the president was at 122% favorability right now. I think [candidates] should be in their district.”

Missourian Senator Claire McCaskill agrees with Israel and was originally criticized for not going. McCaskill stated, “I’ve got a really hard election. If you had a really hard election and it was after Labor Day, would you go to North Carolina to a bunch of parties and glad-handing or would you stay home and work as hard as you know how to convince Missourians they should rehire you?” She also claims that she is not trying to distance herself from Obama.

Huntsman’s decision to stay home from the GOP Convention is unique in its ideological origins. Huntsman claims that the Republican party must “put our country before politics.” He also stated, “I encourage a return to the party we have been in the past from Lincoln right on through to Reagan, that was always willing to put our country before politics.”

Image Courtesy of  Gage Skidmore

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Washington, U.S.A. - Writing in one of America’s top conservative publications, The American Spectator, commentator Peter Hannaford has called on U.S. officials to probe allegations of child rape against Joris Demmink, a top official in the Dutch Justice Ministry. “U.S. officials need to ask some sharp questions,” writes Hannaford. “The offices at the Departments of State and Justice that are concerned with child trafficking, as well as corresponding committees in Congress, need to look into this. The Netherlands is a long-time ally, but the Dutch government needs to know that they can no longer turn a blind eye on this international children sex ring–apparently centered on it shores. This means the accusations against Demmink must be subjected to full public scrutiny.”

Hannaford cites Adele van der Plas, Dutch attorney for two boys, then 12 and 16 years old, who claim that in Turkey in the 1990s Demmink sexually assaulted them, among “numerous” other young victims: “She says that one victim was 12 at the time he was brought by a police officer to Demmink’s chambers, where he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Demmink. Another boy was 14 at the time he was brought to Demmink and assaulted.

Recently, a third child victim, a Turkish boy, has come forward. Van de Plas says, ‘It’s an outrage that Demmink has not been held to account for his crimes against children. Demmink’s perversion of Dutch justice to protect himself is an offense to any standard of basic decency. I hope our friends in other countries become aware of what’s happening and raise their voices in protest. We cannot allow Demmink’s offenses to be quietly hidden away. We must demand his public accountability in a court of law.’”

Recent news reports a major pedophilia ring with operations in the Netherlands – including the arrest of one Dutch citizen who stands accused of sexual assaults on 67 children. The U.S. State Department’s 2011 report on trafficking in persons states that “the Netherlands is primarily a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking.”

In addition, as Hannaford details, Demmink’s Justice Ministry has opposed Dutch prosecutors’ efforts to ban “a pedophile group named ‘Martijn,’ which advocates consensual sex between adults and children. In a court hearing in the city of Assen, [the prosecutors] contended that ‘its banning and dissolution are necessary to avoid a dangerous situation for society.’ They said the group created ‘a sub-culture in which sexual relations between adults and children are tolerated and even glorified.’” But Demmink’s ministry claims that “the ‘Martijn’ group’s activities were not illegal under Dutch law. Its attorney claims protection under ‘freedom of expression.’ With the indulgence of the Ministry of Justice, it’s little wonder that pedophiles in the Netherlands seem to find it relatively easy to ‘express themselves,’” observes Hannaford.

“The allegations against Demmink raise serious issues, not only for the Netherlands, but for allied countries including the United States,” assets Hannaford. “How much credibility can joint anti-child sex trafficking activities have if a key enforcement official may be implicated in such activities and, at the same time, is in a position to block inquiries of the allegations against him? Why has he not been brought to court to face justice both as to his own behavior and his apparent ability to protect groups such as ‘Martijn’?”

Long-time senior advisor to President Ronald Reagan, Peter Hannaford is one of America’s top conservative commentators. His latest book is Reagan’s Roots: The People and Places That Shaped His Character.

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