[DanaC]

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/23/po...our/index.html

The facts:

When President Obama began his term, he made a number of speeches in the Middle East and elsewhere -- all designed to forge better ties with Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Critics such as Romney have said Obama apologized for past actions in such addresses.

Obama did indeed mention past U.S. flaws in speeches. But in those addresses, Obama never uttered an apology for the United States.

Those statements were snippets, part of larger and grander narratives about repairing ties, building friendship and working together.

[...]

During an address in Strasbourg, France, in April 2009, Obama did utter words Romney referenced in the debate.

In that speech, Obama said, "there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive."

But in the very next sentence, Obama called out the Europeans for an "anti-Americanism that is at once casual but can also be insidious. Instead of recognizing the good that America so often does in the world, there have been times where Europeans choose to blame America for much of what's bad."

He then goes on to talk about forging "common solutions to our common problems."

"America cannot confront the challenges of this century alone, but that Europe cannot confront them without America. So I've come to Europe this week to renew our partnership, one in which America listens and learns from our friends and allies, but where our friends and allies bear their share of the burden. Together, we must forge common solutions to our common problems."

And in Turkey:

During that speech, he said "another issue that confronts all democracies as they move to the future is how we deal with the past" and touches on a major blemish on U.S. history.

"The United States is still working through some of our own darker periods in our history," Obama said. "Our country still struggles with the legacies of slavery and segregation, the past treatment of Native Americans."

After that statement, Obama segued into a similar stain on Turkey's history -- the massacre of Armenians during World War I, and how both Turks and Armenians should work toward a "new day."

[...]

Back in December, Michael Cohen, a columnist for Foreign Policy's Election 2012 Channel, called the "apology tour" claim "a lie that has been reiterated so often that it has become conventional wisdom on the right. "

"The apology canard has been disproven practically as often as it has been made."

[...]

Conclusion:


Romney's claim is false. The president has mentioned past U.S. mistakes and flaws during speeches about the larger issues of building bridges to other countries. But he has never apologized or gone on an "apology tour."

Obama didn't look weak to other nations. He came across as strong enough to be open and honest and move forward with foreign allies. A far cry, true from 'you're either with us or against us', but in no way an 'apology tour'