Mitt the Decider

Perhaps the Obama campaign is guilty of a cheap shot in questioning whether Mitt Romney would have decided to give the order to go after Osama bin Laden, but in Romney’s response, he makes it seem like the decision was a no-branier.  Romney said that “Of course” he would have ordered the killing of Osama bin Laden and added, gratuitously and distastefully,“Even Jimmy Carter would have given that order.”  Later he added that “any thinking American would have ordered exactly the same thing.” He seems not to realize that many of Obama's advisors, including Vice-President Biden and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, advised against the raid because of the risks involved and the uncertainty as to whether bin Laden was actually present at the site in Abbottabad.  Gates later said "I've worked for a lot of these guys and this is one of the most courageous calls -- decisions -- that I think I've ever seen a president make." 

So, cheap or not, it is reasonable to question whether Romney would have made the same decision – it certainly was not an obvious choice, as Mitt seems to think. 

Of course, Mitt says that he would give

The go-ahead to kill Osama

There’s no one who’d pass up that chance

They’d do just like Obama.

Of course, now that all is clear,

It’s clear just what to do

But when the fog of war’s severe

Decisions might fall through.

Of course, if Mitt’d been President

He’d have attacked Grenada

But he’d have nixed the Bay of Pigs

That plan would come to nada.

Of course, if he’d been Marshall

He’d have come up with the plan

To save all Europe from the aftermath

Of war’s relentless span.

Of course, if he’d been Chamberlain

He’d never leave the Czechs

Alone to face Herr Hilter’s wrath.

He’d fix the past’s defects.

Of course, if he’d been Wilson

He’d have told them at Versailles

“You’ve got to ease up on the Krauts,

The price is much too high.”

Of course, if he’d been Lincoln

He would have freed the slaves

And stayed away from theaters

No matter what the raves.

Of course, if he’d been Bonaparte

He’d never march on Russia

He’d happily stay close to home

And be content with Prussia.

Of course, we could go on and on

About what Mitt would then envision

If he’d known all the facts before

He came to a decision.

Of course, it’s not at all like that

One’s often unaware

Of what the situation is

And there’s no time to spare.

Of course, that’s when it takes real guts

When facts aren’t clear and one perforce

Must grasp the fleeting moment to

Decide…and pray, of course.