Robinson shows the Blindness of the Left

Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post is a reliable Obama supporter. He is one of those in the press corps who think that Obama can do not wrong and Republicans can do nothing right. While Robinson is not alone in his views, he is perhaps more blatant in his expression of them.

Today, Robinson is out with a column announcing that a vote for any of the Republican candidates is a vote for war with Iran. Why is that? The answer is simple: according to Robinson, both Romney and Santorum have made clear that they would not allow Iran to get the capacity to make nuclear weapons while Obama has said that he would not allow Iran to make nuclear weapons. That's it, nothing more. Obama would preserve the peace because he will not let Iran make nukes, but we have war with Romney/Santorum because he will not let Iran get the capacity to make nukes. I have to wonder how I missed this incredible difference between Obama and the GOP previously which means the difference between war and peace.

The truly funny thing about Robinson's article is that after making this mind-blowing point, he then goes on to say that Romney

outlined the steps he would take in dealing with Iran -- most of which turn out to be steps Obama has already taken.

"I will press for ever-tightening sanctions." Check. "I will speak out on behalf of the cause of democracy in Iran and support Iranian dissidents." Check. "I will make clear that America's commitment to Israel's security and survival is absolute." Check. "I will buttress my diplomacy with a military option." Check.

Romney's only new initiatives would be to make Jerusalem the destination of his first foreign trip and to deploy an additional aircraft carrier group in the region. I imagine the intent would be to show Iranian leaders that they are isolated and under siege, but I think they get that already.


So after telling us that Romney means war and Obama peace, Robinson then complains that Romney has said that he would do the same things that Obama has already done. The basic truth is that you cannot have it both ways. Either Romney is a warmonger while Obama is not, or they would do the same things. Robinson apparently does not have the intellect to recognize this.

The reality is one that Robinson ignores. The reason why the language used by Romney and Santorum is important is that it tells Iran that they cannot keep going to develop the capacity to produce nukes. On the Other hand, Obama has told them that the capacity is fine, but actually building nukes is the problem. Iran, like the rest of the world, well knows that once a country has the capacity to build nukes, those weapons can be assembled in a matter of days. Do we really want American policy to be that Iran can be three days away from having a bomb before we will take action? How stupid is that?