After Criticism, Romney Thanks Armed Forces
Facing criticism for failing to mention American troops or the Afghan war effort in his convention speech, Mitt Romney spoke before National Guard members on Tuesday and called for robust support of the nation’s armed forces, saying that “the return of our troops cannot and must not be used as an excuse to hollow out our military through devastating defense budget cuts.”
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Jim Wilson/The New York Times
Mitt Romney greeted firefighters on the tarmac at O’Hare Airport in Chicago before departing for Reno, Nev., on Tuesday.
Mr. Romney highlighted the threat of automatic Pentagon cuts after a failure to reach a budget deal in Congress — a theme he has used recently to hammer the Obama administration. And he offered effusive praise of Guard members, who have been called to service repeatedly in recent conflicts.
“The attack on our homeland and citizens on Sept. 11, 2001, reminds us that the mission of the Guard is ever more critical, and ever more deserving of our support and honor,” he said.
The speech was a moment for Mr. Romney to move the discussion of his defense and foreign policy credentials beyond the critiques of his speech, and to direct the conversation toward the threat of automatic military cuts if Congress does not reach a deal on substitute reductions by the end of the year.