This morning, CNN reported a pretty big statement from Mitt Romney:

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney would “respect” a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran should the Islamic republic develop nuclear weapons, Romney’s foreign policy adviser told reporters Sunday.

“If Israel has to take action on its own, in order to stop Iran from developing that capability the governor would respect that decision,” Dan Senor said at the morning briefing.

In excerpts of a speech Romney will give today in Israel (that were released by Romney staff), the candidate make a rather presidential claim:

“Make no mistake: the ayatollahs in Tehran are testing our moral defenses. They want to know who will object, and who will look the other way,” Romney will say in his speech, according to excerpts of the address released by his campaign.

“My message to the people of Israel and the leaders of Iran is one and the same: I will not look away, and neither will my country,” he is expected to add.

What do you think of these statements by Romney? Is he out of line to speak for the country before he is elected, or his he merely acting presidential and expressing his hopes for what the US would do, were he to be elected?

Moderator’s note: This is an open thread, but the intention of the discussion is to be centered around the candidate and his speech. Conversations about the Israel/Palestine conflict will be allowed to happen as long as they are respectful and do not employ hate speech or violate any of our commenting policies including insults or threats against other commenters. Thank you.

Photo: Chris Dharapak/ AP photo