Detractors have blistered Mitt Romney for lacking vision because his national security prescriptions barely differ from Obama's - deviating in form, not content. But these critics miss the point: Style is Romney's strategy. In the absence of any articulate doctrines to call his own Romney has made a concerted effort to match Obama's positions in substance while amplifying the rhetoric, oftentimes to a dangerous degree, in an attempt to appear like a stronger leader capable of recapturing America's global preeminence. Read complete article at The Huffington Post
In fact, Daniel Larison over at American Conservative believes Romney has the potential to out-neocon the neocons: "Romney seems more inclined to provoke other major powers than Bush was..."
He also seems oblivious to underlying structural forces that will not be reversed by a single charismatic figure, especially one with a unilateralist bent. Amidst America's economic decline in an interconnected global society and given the broad distribution of power across a myriad of emerging states, the U.S. no longer has the luxury of imposing its agenda on the international stage. It would be wise for the U.S. to attempt the novelty of engaging perceived foes, not alienating them. Point being, given today's new world order, bellicosity is not a virtue.
Romney has not tried to differentiate himself from Obama in any transformational way -- he has simply amped the volume. Although the economy will drive this election, foreign policy does matter because it's the government function over which the president has the most direct control. If elected, Romney would mimic Obama's policies but would carry them out less diplomatically, which is a stylistic difference of grave importance considering Romney is fully capable of starting a general war with Iran, igniting another cold one with Russia and extending our stay in the Afghan quagmire.