Governor Romney remained silent on the Iraqi war while in office. He noted that as Governor, it was not his place to comment on the purpose or implementation of the war. During the 2008 election process, he was supportive of the war. He also stated often that once the US made the decision to go into Iraq the initial conflict was handled well, but the situation in Iraq afterwards was under-funded, under-manned, and poorly managed.
When President Bush sought to alter the strategy in Iraq through the surge, Governor Romney was generally supportive, stating that he believed that the situation in Iraq was not lost for good and that some change was necessary.
Early in the election process, Governor Romney expressed support for metrics to judge the success of the war and eventually allow the troops to return home. This was construed as his opponents as support for timetables for withdraw.
In December of 2011, Governor Romney opposed the drawdown of US forces from Iraq stating that it would be looked back upon as a mistake.
Real Clear Politics Interview
In February of 2007, Mitt Romney was interviewed by Real Clear Politics. The interview covered a number of topics, and the war in Iraq was one of those problems.
ROMNEY: From Republican crowds most often the question relates to immigration, then education and healthcare. Interestingly, very rarely is there a question about foreign policy, Iraq, Iran. I typically have to insert those into my opening remarks to get the audience to draw out on that at all.
I think it's in part because Republican audiences don't want to talk about it. It hasn't gone well. It feels like the team is losing and people don't want to hear about it.
RCP: Speaking of, yesterday there were reports you issued some mild criticism of the Bush administration policy in Iraq, saying it wasn't going as well as many had liked. John McCain said recently he thought Secretary Rumsfeld would go down as one of the worst Defense Secretaries in history. Dick Cheney responded by saying he thought Rumsfeld had been a great Secretary of Defense and that he'd done a super job. What do you think? What's your impression of the job Rumsfeld did?
ROMNEY: I really don't think pointing fingers at individuals is a productive exercise at this point. Clearly the president would agree the buck stops with him. He's responsible for the management of our affairs, and I would not suggest we go and try and find individuals within various departments to assume the blame.
In my view, and I've said this many times before, we did an excellent job knocking down Saddam Hussein's government, but we did less than a superb job in managing the post major-conflict period. And I think we were underprepared for it, under planned, under staffed, and under managed. And because of our shortcomings in those areas we've contributed to the difficult position in which we find ourselves. But we are where we are.
And if you, like me, have done a lot of reading about the process that led up to the conflict and the preparations for the post-major conflict period, you too will recognize that, if these accounts are accurate, we've made a lot of errors in terms of preparation. And whether you've read the Looming Tower, or The Assassin's Gate, or Cobra II, or Paul Bremer's book or Gen. Zinni's book, they come to that set of conclusions even though they come from very different viewpoints.
RCP: And do you believe it's still fixable at this point?
ROMNEY: Yes. I think there is a reasonable course - or, let me restate that, there's a reasonable probability that there is a path to securing the nation and establishing stability for a central government. I don't say that's a path with high confidence of being successful, but there's still a reasonable probability that path can be pursued. And that's why I think the president is right to add to the military mission the responsibility for securing Baghdad and the population of Baghdad.
I think that should have been done a lot earlier and should have been part of the initial plan. But, be that as it may, it's now being added to the mission. And when you add a mission to our military that means you need to add troop strength to carry it out. We'll see how well that plan is working. It will probably play out over a matter of five to six months, or more. But it's months, not years.
I presume that the Defense Department and the President have worked out with al-Maliki's government what the milestones are and what the timetable is for determining if we're being successful in this new effort. And we'll be able to judge, are we accomplishing what we hope to accomplish? Those don't have to be made public, although I think it'd be helpful if in some cases they were, so the public could understand and have credibility behind the accomplishments, if there are accomplishments. I think it's much broader, for instance, than just saying, "are there fewer attacks?" It's much more devoted to determining are the Iraqi military and police forces able to take the lead at some stage here in providing for the security for their people.
RCP: And, as you said, it'll play out over course of five or six months. That's what most experts have said. But what happens if it's not successful, or not as successful as we'd hoped? What then?
ROMNEY: If you establish milestones, and you determine that we're not making progress against those milestones, then you know the strategy isn't working and you have to turn to Plan B or C. I'm not going to forecast what Plan B or C might be. Clearly there are people who say we should just turn and walk out. There are others who say we should divide the country in various - three, four, five or more parts.
There are additional risks associated with those courses that would suggest we don't want to take those options unless there is no other option available. And the additional risks you're familiar with. If you divide the country in parts Iran may try and seize the Iraqi portion - excuse me the Shia portion of Iraq. Al-Qaeda could play a dominating role in the Sunni portion. The Kurdish population could destabilize the Kurds in Turkey and could create conflict across the border. You could have a regional conflict develop. And for all of those additional reasons and risks, you wouldn't want to pursue that course unless there were no other option available.
2007 Campaign Rally
In a March 2007 campaign rally, Governor Romney stated that he supported the surge because walking away would be another mistake. He stated that the US should not have it's military policy dictated by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.
You know this. Iraq is just one front in the global war against the violent radical jihadists. We've removed Saddam Hussein, but afterwards, I'm afraid to report that we were underprepared and under-planned, under-managed, and under-manned. But walking away now because of those mistakes, or dividing the country and then walking away would have real and severe risks for America and for our troops. And that's why I support the troop surge, for that reason. And one thing I think that we all can agree on; we shouldn't let Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid dictate our battle strategy to the commanders in the field or to the commander in chief.
South Carolina Debate
On May 15, 2007 Governor Romney participated in the Presidential debate in South Carolina. He stated that it was critical for the US to provide stability for the Iraqi government to emerge and become stable.
MR. WALLACE: Governor Romney, can you foresee any circumstances under which you would pull out of Iraq without leaving behind a stable political and security situation?
MR. ROMNEY: Well, I'm certainly not going to project failure, and those kind of circumstances that you would suggest would be projecting failure.
It is critical for us to remember that Iraq has to be considered in the context of what's happening in the Middle East and throughout the world. There is a global jihadist effort. Violent, radical jihadists want to replace all the governments of the moderate Islamic states, replace them with a caliphate. And to do that, they also want to bring down the West, in particular us.
And they've come together as Shi'a and Sunni and Hezbollah and Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood and al Qaeda with that intent. We have to recognize that what we're doing in Iraq has enormous impact on what's going to happen in this global struggle, and that's why it's important for us to understand that if we were to just walk out precipitously, we could conceivably see the border with Turkey be destabilized by virtue of the Kurdish effort, we could have the Iranians take over the Shi'a south, and perhaps most frightening, you could have al Qaeda play a dominant role among the Sunnis and then have a setting where you'd have something far worse than Afghanistan on their hands.
And so we recognize that it's critical for us to provide the stability to allow a central government to survive and thrive.
...
MR. ROMNEY: Look, as a governor of a state, there are a lot of issues of a federal nature that I didn't take a position on. I was running a state. My responsibility was for running a state. When I became a governor I took a whole series of positions on national issues. That's normal and natural.
With regards to the surge, the briefing that I received -- I received an early briefing from Fred Kagan on the size of our military. After I received that, I said I support increasing our military by at least 100,000. And then just prior to the president's announcement of the surge, I spoke again with Fred Kagan and he laid out the philosophy of the surge, his vision for it. As you know, many consider him one of the authors of the surge idea. And when he gave me that report, I met with my staff and announced that day that I supported a surge. The president announced later that day the entire program. So I supported it as a candidate for president, number one.
Number two -- number two -- with regards to this idea that I favor a specific date for withdrawal, I do not. We've had -- I believe since that interview that the senator quotes, we've had 10 or 12 debates. He's never raised that issue with me.
He's never said, "Are you for a date specific?" I've been asked that question time and again. Last debate we had, I said I will not leave Iraq until we have secured Iraq, to make sure it'll never become a safe haven.
And -- and what's interesting here is, it's an attempt to do the -- the Washington-style old politics, which is lay a charge out there, regardless of whether it's true or not, don't check it, don't talk to the other candidate, just throw it out there, get it in the media, in the stream. There's not a single media source that I've seen that hasn't said it was reprehensible. Even The --
MR. COOPER: Okay.
New Hampshire Debate
In September of 2007, Governor Romney was asked a question about the surge and Iraq in the New Hampshire Presidential debate.
GOLER: Governor Romney, you have suggested that U.S. troops in Iraq move to a support phase after the surge, which pretty much has to end in the spring, and a standby phase after that in Kuwait in Qatar.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems even Hillary Clinton is willing to commit troops to Iraq longer than that, sir.
ROMNEY: I don't have a time frame that I've announced. What I've indicated is very consistent with what the president is speaking about and what we're hearing from Iraq right now, and that is that the surge is apparently working.
We're going to get a full report on that from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker very soon. But the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Brookings have come back with positive reports.
ROMNEY: If the surge is working, then we're going to be able to start bringing back our troops levels slowly but surely, and play more of a support role over time. Ultimately, down the road, I would anticipate that we're not going to have a permanent presence in Iraq, and we'll be in a standby mode in surrounding nations.
But, of course, when we consider moving to a support role and bringing, at some stage, our troop levels back, we're going to be doing that from a position of strength because the surge has worked. There's no question it's essential for America to show that we are committed to success in Iraq. Our men and women are the bravest and most patriotic in the world that are over there fighting. We deserve to give them the kind of support they need to make this mission successful.
(APPLAUSE)
GOLER: Do you see that support phase, sir, in 2008?
ROMNEY: I'm sorry?
GOLER: Do you see the support phase in 2008?
ROMNEY: I think you're going to begin to see if the surge is working, and I think we're going to get that report very soon, that we're going to begin to slowly but surely pull back to a support role.
ROMNEY: But the timetable for that I hope will be as soon as possible. We all hope for that. We all hope for that. But the question of timetable will depend upon how successful the surge is. And the key is, we don't start pulling back troops; we don't go into a support mode until we are successful with this surge and we are providing the security and the stability that we anticipate for this country.
GOLER (?): Senator McCain?
MCCAIN: Governor, the surge is working. The surge is working, sir.
ROMNEY: That's just what I said.
Des Moines Register Interview
In December of 2007, Governor Romney was interviewed by the Des Moines Register. When asked about Iraq, he stated that he felt that the US was not prepared for dealing with the country after the fall of Saddam Hussein, and that the civilian effort after the fall was lacking. He expressed support for the surge strategy and noted that plan C may need to be implemented if the surge strategy failed.
When asked about tim tables, Governor Romney opposed steadfast dates for leaving the country, but stated that obvious yard sticks and measurements should be followed.
Boca Raton Debate
In January of 2008 Governor Romney participated in the Presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida. He stated that it was the right idea to go into Iraq, but that the war has been poorly managed since going into the country.
Russert: Governor Romney, was the war in Iraq a good idea, worth the cost in blood and treasure we have spent?
Romney: It was the right decision to go into Iraq. I supported it at the time. I support it now.
It was not well managed after the takedown of Saddam Hussein and his military. That was done brilliantly, an extraordinary success. But in the years that followed, it was not well -- we were under- managed, under-prepared, under-planned, under-staffed and then we came into the phase that we have now.
The plan that President Bush and General Petraeus put together is working. It's changing lives there and, perhaps most importantly, it's making sure that Al Qaida and no other group like them is becoming a superpower, if you will, in the communities and having a safe haven from which they launch attacks against us.
It's critical for us. When we think about debating the Democrats, they might want to go back and talk about what happened at the beginning. But the most important issue is what do we do now, and they're just run and retreat, regardless of the consequences, is going to be a real problem for them when they face a debate with a Republican on the stage.
California Debate
On January 30, 2008 Governor Romney participated in the Presidential debate in California. He stated during the debate that he opposed a hard time-table for withdraw.
MS. HOOK: Yeah, I'd like to start with Governor Romney.
Obviously Iraq is still a major issue in this campaign, and over the last few days there's been a real back and forth going on here. Senator McCain has said over and over again that you supported a timetable for phased withdrawal from Iraq. Is that true?
MR. ROMNEY: Absolutely unequivocably (sic) -- (chuckles) -- if I can get that word out -- unequivocably (sic), absolutely no. I have never ever supported a specific timetable for exit from Iraq, and it's offensive to me that someone would suggest that I have. And I have noted that everyone from Time Magazine to Bill Bennett over there, to -- to actually, CNN's own analyst. He said it was a lie, and it's absolutely wrong. I do not support that, never have.
We've had -- we've -- and Senator McCain pointed to an interview I had back in April with ABC, when I said that our president and their prime minister should have timetables and milestones. We have timetables and milestones for progress that we're making together.
But I never suggested a date specific to withdraw. And actually she asked me a question. The next question was, "If Congress were to give you a date specific for withdrawal, would you sign it or veto it?" I said I'd veto it. I'm opposed to setting a specific date for withdrawal.
By the way, we've had since that time 10, 12 debates. Senator McCain never raised that question in any of those debates. If you ever wondered what my position was, he could have -- could have raised it.
I instead have pointed out time and time again -- and let me make it absolutely clear again tonight -- I will not pull our troops out until we have brought success in Iraq. And that means for me that we do not have safe havens for al Qaeda or Hezbollah or anyone else; that our troops have secured the -- the population from that kind of threat; that they will not have safe havens from which they could launch attacks against us.
And if there's any misunderstanding, those words should make it perfectly clear, as have every single debate that I've attended -- 15 debates -- I do not propose nor have I ever proposed a public or secret date for withdrawal. It's -- is simply wrong.
And by the way, raising it a few days before the -- the Florida primary, when there was very little time for me to correct the record, when the question I was most frequently asked is, "Oh, you're for a specific date of withdrawal," sort of falls in the kind of dirty tricks that I think Ronald Reagan would have found to be reprehensible.
Foreign Policy Initiative Interview
In September of 2009, Governor Romney was interviewed by the foreign policy initiative. He spoke briefly about Iraq and the surge and stated that the surge was successful. When speaking about President Obama's first nine months in office from a foreign policy perspective, Governor Romney stated that following.
I must admit there is one thing that is encouraging, and a lot of things that are not encouraging. The one thing that is encouraging is that he did not yank all of our troops out of Iraq. We're in a position where we can be successful there. Our commitment to the surge strategy has worked, and the Iraqi people are able to defend themselves. They did not respond with sectarian violence following the attacks as our troops began to be pulled back. There are encouraging signs in Iraq and so I am glad he did not take precipitous action which a lot of people feared, given what he had said during the primary campaign.
Reaction to the Ending of the War
On December 18, 2011 Governor Romney stated during a campaign stop that did not agree with the removal of the troops from Iraq.
I think we're going to find that this president, by not putting in place a status-of-forces agreement with the Iraqi leadership, has pulled our troops out in a precipitous way and we should have left 10-, 20-, 30,000 personnel there to help transition to the Iraqis' own military capabilities.
U.S. military and diplomatic personnel have made stunning gains in Iraq, pulling the war effort there back from the precipice of defeat. The 2007 “surge” of troops successfully provided security to the population and granted space and time for the Iraqis, our diplomatic corps, and our coalition partners to establish institutions of governance. Today, after struggle and sacrifice, the goal of a democratic Iraq allied with the United States is within our reach. The Obama administration, however, is threatening to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. We are nearing the December 31, 2011 deadline for reaching a new Status of Force Agreement that will allow U.S. troops to remain in Iraq to continue their training mission. Reports indicate that President Obama is seeking to keep 3,000 troops in the country after 2011, a number far below the reported 14,000 to 18,000 our commanders in the field have recommended as the minimum necessary to carry out our mission. In light of these developments, it is impossible to forecast what conditions in Iraq will confront the next American president in January 2013. Mitt Romney will enter office seeking to use the broad array of our foreign-policy tools — diplomatic, economic, and military — to establish a lasting relationship with Iraq and guarantee that Baghdad remains a solid partner in a volatile and strategically vital region.
