Foreign Affairs Turn Into 2nd Debate Rehash Then Refocuses
SEARCH BLOG: OBAMA and ROMNEY.
The debate on foreign affairs boiled down to this: the Middle East is a mess, we don't want the bad guys in charge, and we don't want more military involvement. Both Obama and Romney agreed and tried hard to make it sound as if they disagreed. Obama skated around the fact that the Arab Spring has became an Arab Chaos. Romney skated around the fact that the new governments are not America's friends nor will they become our friends because they are in control of the Muslim Brotherhood and further changes in governments will open more doors to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Beyond that... the 2nd debate took a major portion of the debate time.
President Obama says he will stand with Israel ... if attacked. President Obama say Iran will not get a nuclear weapon as long as he is President. He pointed out that sanctions have now forced Iran to give up their pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Mitt Romney agrees that sanctions have been effective and wants to tighten them. He want Iran's Ahmadinejad indicted for inciting genocide. He agrees that military options are the last resort.
President Obama denies that he is working out a "one on one" deal with Iran. The deal he will accept is that Iran ends their nuclear program. He said "the clock is ticking" and he will not all them to use negotiations to protract their weapons development.
Mitt Romney said that Iran has seen U.S. as weak because Obama would meet with them without conditions. Obama's failure to support the Iranian dissidents was seen as a sign of weakness. Obama's apologies for U.S. actions were seen as another sign of weakness.
President Obama said, "Nothing Gov. Romney has said is true." Romney: we're four years closer to a nuclear Iran with 10,000 centrifuges... you skipped Israel in your "Middle Eastern tour." Obama: I went to Israel as a candidate in 2008 and learned about the dangers that face Israel. Romney: the Middle East is deteriorating; our influence is receding. Obama: the problem is on a whole range of issues is that you've been all over the map.
Afghanistan: 2014 deadline for withdrawal. Romney: we'll get out by 2014... everything is on schedule. We have to focus on Pakistan because a failed Pakistan would be dangerous to both Afghanistan and us. President Obama: we got out of Iraq which allowed us to focus on Afghanistan and target the Taliban and al Qaeda... now the Afghan military is capable of taking care of their country and we can pull our soldiers out and get them health care and treatment for PTSD.
Question to Romney: what is your position on drones. Romney: use our technology, but what's missing is a strategy to move the Middle East away from Islamic extremism. Obama: we've created partnerships with countries to go after the terrorists. We've stood on the side of democracy and women's rights. No doubt that attitudes toward America have changed [for the better].
China: what is the greatest threat to the future of this country. Obama: China is an adversary, but a potential partner if they follow the rules. A trade task force set up to deal with Chinese "cheaters." Over the long term in order to compete with China, we have to improve education and expand government investments. Romney: business makes investments, not government. China needs trade. We can be a partner; we don't have to be an adversary. They question our economic and foreign affairs strength. We have to focus on trade that is by the rules. Would declare China a currency manipulator and economic pirates and counterfeiters.
Obama: Romney shipped jobs to China. We want to have a stronger military presence in the Far East and create more trading partners other than China. Romney: we have to have President that doesn't invest in companies, but invests in basic research. Obama: that's not right. Romney: you're wrong.
Well, that about sums up things. We are better off/worse off; we are more/less influential in the world.
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