No surprise that Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have come out rhetorical guns blazing to defend the missile-defense shield–though it is still depressing. Of course it is terrible idea to save billions of dollars in a recession and to avoid antagonizing — sorry, “appease” — Russia. It must be a mistake.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, called the move a slap in the face to eastern Europeans “who have stood so valiantly with America and who took political heat for backing the missile-defense system” and accused the president of caving to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Santorum added:

“The Poles and the Czechs have a legitimate fear of a re-emergence of the Russian threat to their security and are desperately seeking closer ties to the West.”

Contrast that with this statement, reportedly made by an Obama foreign-policy adviser shortly before the presidential election, calling the shield as “a system that won’t work, against a threat that doesn’t exist, paid for with money we don’t have.”

Which soundbite sounds more conservative to you?