In his new book, Mitt Romney accuses Barack Obama of fueling anti-American sentiments. | AP photo composite by POLITICO Mitt: Obama fuels anti-Americanism

In his new book, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney accuses President Barack Obama of providing “kindling” to the “anti-American fires burning all across the globe.”

The book “No Apology: The Case for American Greatness” hit shelves Tuesday, and in it Romney focuses much of his time attacking Obama’s foreign policy.


“Never before in American history has its president gone before so many foreign audiences to apologize for so many American misdeeds, both real and imagined,” Romney writes of Obama’s overseas trips. “It is his way of signaling to foreign countries and foreign leaders that their dislike for America is something he understands and that is, at least in part, understandable.”

“There are anti-American fires burning all across the globe; President Obama’s words are like kindling to them,” the former GOP presidential candidate adds.

Romney goes on to urge Obama to show a stronger commitment to U.S. allies, especially Israel, and speak more about “America’s values” rather than “America’s failings.”

While Romney offers plenty of criticism of the president’s approach abroad, he doesn’t provide much insight into his own run for president or on the two years since he dropped out of the race. There are few criticisms of his fellow Republicans and he offers little detail mapping his course forward.

Instead, Romney is focused on the American mood and how the country can regain its swagger.

“Whenever the world faces potentially insurmountable threats, military or otherwise, it turns to America,” Romney writes. “Yet with all that we have done to help others, and with so much more that remains to be done, our popularity and persuasive sway are on the wane.”

“The self-loathing of Western intellectuals should not hinder our sturdy defense of all that should make us the most admired and respected of nations,” he continues. “We must argue our case, leading others to eagerly join us in the case of liberty and peace.”

Romney blames an American culture that he sees as too eager to accept American failings and too weary of celebrating triumphs.

“The time has come for American schools to once again systematically teach our children about the heroes of the battles that won our freedom and about the heroes that fought in the wars that gained liberty for millions of people around the world,” he writes. “The multiculturalism movement must be unmasked for the fraud that it is. There are superior cultures, and ours is one of them.”

But in touting American culture, Romney allows that the U.S. has some major shortcomings of its own such as not placing enough value on the family, specifically by condoning out-of-wedlock births.

“Given the dire consequences for the nation and the heart-wrenching implications for children, why has no alarm been sounded and no emergency measures enacted to staunch this grave crisis?” Romney asks. “To reclaim marriage and family, we must begin by telling children and young adults the truth. Strong voices of concern and redirection must come from the president, governors, legislators, community leaders, pastors and teachers.”

Romney also blames the American education system—which he refers to as an “epic failure”—for allowing societal decline, as well as the decision by “progressives” to de-emphasize “the subjects that had previously been considered essential.”

“The consequences of a failing education system reach to the foundation of our democracy,” he writes. “If our children do not learn about and come to cherish America’s heritage, history, culture and founding principles, how can they be expected to defend the freedoms on which their country is based?”