PETERBOROUGH, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney said that diplomacy was like dealing with a teenage child and vowed to find ways to "influence" Pakistan to advance US interests.
"I don't want to suggest that a country is like a child, but in the way that when you deal with another person we think of all these dimensions on which we try to influence them, we have to influence Pakistan," he told voters here.
The former Massachusetts governor said he would "find how we can get those (Pakistani) institutions that are with us and will work towards modernity and peace and prosperity" to counter those that will not.
"In a place like Pakistan, you have the elected government, but then you also have the military -- and the military in some respects has more power than the elected government," said Romney, the frontrunner for his party's nomination.
Speaking in a question-and-answer session in New Hampshire, which holds its nominating primary on January 10, he also cited Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI, as well as "radicals and extremists" and local chiefs, "all of whom are pulling in different directions."
Romney, who had been asked how he would tackle often strained relations with Pakistan, prefaced his answer by saying "it would be nice if in dealing with another nation it was as simple as turning on and off a faucet -- a very simple, rudimentary experience."
"But instead it's more like dealing with an adolescent -- I don't mean to compare any nation to an adolescent, but just the fact that there's no easy answer for how you bring a child to adolescence," he said.
"You have to push and pull and find ways of influence and to change behavior. Each nation will typically act in their best interests. Sometimes we forget that, we think that every nation should act in our best interest," he said.
"That's not the way they think. And so we have to understand what their concerns are and what their interests are," he said.
COMMENTS (10)
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@ Hu Jintao
Ron Paul is the only candidate who would change American foreign policy -- all the others whether they are Democrats or Republican's are singing the same tune. Unfortunately nationwide polling puts Ron Paul at 11% so his chances are nil.
I am not impressed by Mitt Romney. He has no steadfast beliefs and flip-flops on issues.
I think you are getting it now. That is a sensible thinking.
@pakistani Obama during elections was the most anti-Pakistan candidate.
Vote Ron Paul
yeah..........remember Obama during his election compaign? politicians are all the same and ironically they all think, act and behave the same way..............
Good statement, hope he does what he says.
a good thought....must be welcomed by all. this is the way to deal with each other.national interests may differ and accepting the same means solution to 50% of problems.
For the first time i agree with this guy. Republicans always show hostility at start but once it becomes clear which candidates are favorite, their tone calms down.
Sort of unexpected from a Republican but certainly a peaceful and respectable gesture.