Mr Romney-what about Europe, Syria, Benghazi, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Arab Spring?

Last night's third and final US presidential debate was one too many. At least for me. The topic was foreign affairs but the two candidates turned the questions around to the domestic US economy as often as possible. And since we had already listened to three hours of economic debate, it was boring to hear it all again - repartee laden with statistics but more often an effort of President Obama to turn Governor Rommey's economic experience and savvy into a simplistic summary of reducing taxes for high income Americans. Boring. Perhaps we should have known that Romney would be conservative, displaying a calm reason that would assure Americans that he can handle the foreign affairs dossier without becoming a frightening warmonger. But, given Romney's character - steady, unflappable, reasonable, kindness itself - we knew all along that his goal in becoming President had nothing to do with getting his trigger finger on the red button. President Obama, on the other hand, painted a wildly inaccurate picture of a President who has majestically ruled the world for the past four years. One only needed to ask why there is no universal Pax Americana to show for it. But Mitt Romney never asked that one crucial, Obama-demolishing question. Just as he never asked why Obama still thinks that words, no matter how eloquent, can ever replace action in aid of the Syrian people. Just as he agreed with a failed Obama Afghanistan-Pakistan policy that has left American troops on the ground hostage to Taliban infiltrators. Just as he never mentioned the slain American Ambassador, Chris Stevens, whose tragically predictable assassination is the very embodiment of the failed Obama policy in Arab Spring nations. Just as he never pointed out that America has abandoned its European leadership role, leaving a valiant France alone to articulate and defend the West's values against an al-Qaida resurgent because of Barak Obama's failure to follow through on the Bush era pro-active attack. What were you thinking, Governor Romney? We know that your economic policy will be robust, that it will bring America back from the edge of the abyss that Obama has led us to. But, we also need a robust foreign policy, one clearly founded on an America economically strong, but one based on leadership, not the silent absentee non-leadership of the world that Barak Obama's foreign policy has become. In the days that remain, Governor Romney, please reassure America and the world that you understand this critical concept and will follow through on it.