Editor’s note

“We can’t kill our way out of this mess,” Mitt Romney said during this week’s presidential campaign debate on foreign policy. Truer words were never spoken by the Republican candidate, who went on to make clear that he supports assassinations, drone strikes and “taking out” Osama bin Laden. “But my strategy is broader than that,” he said. “We’re going to have to put in place a very comprehensive and robust strategy to help . . . the world of Islam reject this radical violent extremism. . . .” Romney went on to outline a plan to do that through economic development, education, gender equality and the rule of law. “Our purpose is to make sure the world is peaceful. We want a peaceful planet. We want people to be able to enjoy their lives and know they’re going to have a bright and prosperous future, not be at war.” It’s too late for Romney to portray himself as a peace candidate, because of his saber-rattling about Iran, his lack of support for Palestinian rights, his unwillingness to oppose drone strikes and his support for greatly increase military spending. But for one moment he provided a glimpse of what a different campaign strategy, built on peace, could have looked like.

Our contribution to the cause of peace this week is to celebrate the Best of Springfi eld with a 72-page issue. BOS 2012 starts on page 10. Enjoy. –Fletcher Farrar, editor and publisher