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Famous psychologist Abraham Maslow once wrote, “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Maslow’s words, taken from Toward a Psychology of Being, are particularly applicable to Mitt Romney’s latest piece in The Washington Post, “The need for a mighty U.S. military.”

Romney’s thesis is quite succinctly summarized in the title, but his argument is based on a series of false premises, and in the end it’s clear he’s in possession of nothing but a hammer.

Is a multipolar world impossible?

“There are those who claim that a multipolar world is preferable to one led by a strong United States. Were these other poles nations such as Australia, Canada, France, and Britain, I might concur,” writes Romney. “But with emerging poles being China, Russia, and Iran, the world would not see peace it would see bullying, invasion, and regional wars. And ultimately, one would seek to conquer the others, unleashing world war.” His argument crumbles quickly when you consider President Barack Obama’s actions this week and his efforts alongside other nations.

While Obama is far from perfect, we can say this for him: He doesn’t only have a hammer. As we’re constantly being reminded by critics, he also has a pen, and a phone, one he’s (metaphorically) used in efforts with NATO and the EU in handling the conflict in Ukraine, as well as his coalition efforts in handling ISIL’s aggression in Iraq. Romney speaks of Britain falling to the side as China, Russia, and Iran rise — but doesn’t really address the fact that if Russia is an aggressor, you don’t want your only option to be to go it alone. There’s a lot to be said for sharing the burden of geopolitical decisions. Dependence solely on our economic contribution, on our military men and women, is hardly ideal if alignment is possible. And it’s clear alignment very much is. For example, Britain is contributing 1,000 personnel and a headquarters to NATO’s 4,000 person reaction force, and 3,500 British troops will be positioned alongside NATO in exercises in Eastern Europe until next year.