(Photo: Staff Sgt. Chuck Burden/U.S. Army)
Republican candidates are apparently encouraged by the fact that the world seems like a more dangerous place than it was a few months ago, even if it may not actually be a more dangerous place. Why is this encouraging? Because it allows them to get back on simpler, safer ground, as I explain in my Plum Line post today:
The GOP candidates are likely to see the increasing salience of foreign policy as a gift, not only because it allows them to show how tough and strong they can be, and not only because they know the applause they can get for promising to go fight swarthy foreigners, but also because it doesn't require any creative thinking or complex policy proposals. "What will you do about the economy?" has become a complicated question to answer, since the jobs picture is excellent but wages are still stagnant, and people want to hear new ideas. The question, "What should we do about ISIS?", on the other hand, is much easier to answer, at least for a Republican. You can just say, "Kill 'em all!" and everyone will cheer.
There are also poll results showing that Republican voters are becoming more eager for a land war in the Middle East, a sentiment the candidates are responding to. Perhaps they think that we can redeem the Iraq War, get everything right this time and finally bring about that flowering of freedom and stability that Bush and Cheney promised us twelve years ago. Or perhaps all they know is that there are Bad Guys over there, and when there are bad guys you have to go get 'em. Either way, it makes for wise policy decisions.
