Democracy & Elections

Marc Thiessen on a Perry-Romney National Security Debate

Benjamin Wittes
Tuesday, September 20, 2011, 6:59 AM
I often disagree with Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen, but this column strikes me as right on. Thiessen bewails the lack of serious debate in the Republican primaries on national security issues, and he suggests a series of questions the candidates should address. While the specific questions he proposes reveal his own views, and his own critique of current policy, he has a real point. It is not acceptable, given the level of U.S.

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I often disagree with Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen, but this column strikes me as right on. Thiessen bewails the lack of serious debate in the Republican primaries on national security issues, and he suggests a series of questions the candidates should address. While the specific questions he proposes reveal his own views, and his own critique of current policy, he has a real point. It is not acceptable, given the level of U.S. commitment in a dangerous world, that we are picking a Republican nominee with virtually no sense of what the candidates believe in the national security arena. Thiessen has also solicited both the Romney and Perry campaigns to participate in a dedicated national security-oriented debate. It would be great to see that happen.

Benjamin Wittes is editor in chief of Lawfare and a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. He is the author of several books.

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