Romney was invited over by a right-wing Tory govt, insulted them in front of the Worlds press and has them came in for a bit of criticism ....... normally that wouldn't matter but if you're a candidate standing for the President of the US of A you need to be media smart, you need to be savvy. That's why I think he's an idiot, doesn't matter how long you studied and how many degrees you have, it was a schoolboy error. you political types and Republicans can spin it all you want but don't shoot the messenger :-)

Did he say anything that wasn't true, or that hasn't been said in the British media itself? If Romney's an idiot for giving his honest opinion to a question, then Obama's an idiot for calling the Falklands the Maldives rather than Malvinas in an attempt to suck up to Latin America aggressors. I think neither are idiots and gaffes (both real and by the Washington definition) happen to everyone. Cool down, you limey.

Invictus no need to get touchy just 'cos you were wrong, your man might still become your President, I expect with all that intelligence and money he'll be universally loved and respected by smart people like yourself :-)

I'm not wrong, and emoticons are for middle school girls.

"I'm not wrong, and emoticons are for middle school girls."

So you must use them.

"wow, and that was not a bigoted comment...lol Where is Obi defending Mitt, and his 'minority' status now."

We,, here I am...but why WOULD I defend that detestable cretin?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-olympic-stumbles-in-london/2012/07/27/gJQAiMZKEX_story.html

Managing to piss off the British...yes...that's surely a sign that you're ready to take the reigns as leader of the nation, I mean, they're only our greatest ally in an alliance that's one of if not the single strongest and most important in the whole of the international stage...

And Mitt has the gall to question if they're "ready" for the Olympics?

...

Cameron's response is, well, quite frankly, just about the only time I'd ever quote Cameron positively...brilliant. xD

*Well, here I am...

Mitt making friends in Israel now, this man went to what University and got how many degrees?
Why have an election when you can have a circus, with a clown as funny as this how can you fail.
People say 'what goes around comes around' and that it is karmic that the Republicans have Romney but you would have to really hate them to believe that. Come back Ron Paul all is forgiven. What's Bush doing nowadays?

http://www.watoday.com.au/world/romney-to-back-israeli-iran-strike-20120729-236dm.html

It seems to me, that, unlike the incumbent, Romney has the guts to say what he really things about things (such as the state of Olympic readiness).
And the guts to actually recognize that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

"(such as the state of Olympic readiness). "

Which he quickly backtracked on

"And the guts to actually recognize that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. "

Oh yes, lets see those guts when he isn't fighting for evangelical and jewish votes.

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel only in the sense that its government is largely located there. The United Nations and even the United States don't even recognize that is is really part of Israel. By proclaiming Israel's capital to be Jerusalem Romney (and Obama in 2008, who said pretty much the same thing) makes an peace agreement all the more difficult. Why should the Palestinians negotiate when it's guaranteed now that they won't get East Jerusalem, the only important concession they could realistically get? THIS is the display of amateurism on Romney's part, not a throwaway crack about the ultimately meaningless Olympics.

The government is located there = the capital.

The capital of Israel should be Jerusalem. The Palestinians don't negotiate in good faith, anyway.

"The Palestinians don't negotiate in good faith, anyway."

This must be the most ironic comment in the history of the Webdip forum, and that's saying something.

dipplayer2004et of international law is that states cannot gain territory unless it is transferred by treaty. I think Israel should have Jerusalem as its capital once the final peace agreement is reached, but until that happens we can't accept Israel's ownership of the entire city as its capital without opening the door for wars for territorial expansion becoming tolerated again. I mean, if Israel's claims to Jerusalem justify unilateral annexation then so would Russian ones to Crimea or Venezuela's to Eastern Guyana.

As for the Palestinians, you're right that they have not negotiated in good faith in the past. But the way to get them to do so is not to make the subject of Jerusalem effectively non-negotiable before talks even start. Could you imagine doing something like that in a Diplomacy game?

Western Guyana

Looks like the first sentence and a hlaf of my first post got cut off. It should read that Israel annexed East Jerusalem after the Six Day War. A major tenet of international law, etc etc

Romney turned me on to this new dip site vdiplomacy. Has anyone else heard of it? Awesome.

@dipplayer it's not about whether Romney is bold enough to speak the truth.
It is true that London is underprepared for the Olympics, and that Jerusalem is the de facto capital of Israel.
Some things however, are just not spoken in diplomacy. If you are a guest at someone's place for dinner you do not complain that the food was bad and the people were boring, and that the wife is a better parent than the husband.
The point of Romney's trip is to make friends. If he is making enemies of his allies then he is not doing his job and shouldn't be voted in as president.

I have to agree with Gobble there. Being "tough" in international relations doesn't mean insulting your hosts and that isn't the way to show your will be tough when dealing with belligerent dictators and such. No, lacking diplomatic tact is a bad thing when you are trying to get elected.