On Monday, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney delivered a foreign policy speech to cadets at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va. He was correct in his indictment of the Obama administration for its numerous failures — especially in the Middle East — and his embrace of Ronald Reagan’s “peace through strength” philosophy. A strong and respected America is less likely to be attacked.

The Obama administration’s approach to foreign policy has been one of apology, genuflection toward dictators and inconsistency. “[I]t is the responsibility of our president to use America’s great power to shape history,” Romney told the VMI cadets. “Not to lead from behind, leaving our destiny at the mercy of events. Unfortunately, that’s exactly where we find ourselves in the Middle East under President Obama.”