Debate on C-span

[Elspeth]

Mitt on Libya:

Mentions Arab Spring; then the result, Syria, Libya, Mali, Egypt (Muslim b-hood leader), Iran (closer to nukes)

Congrats to Obama on OBL

BUT talks about radical Islam "on the run"

WE MUST HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO REJECT EXTREMISM.

Barry: AlQ core leadership has been decimated.

Leaving Afghanistan in a responsible way
Alliances around the world.

Libya: We did everything we could to secure Americans in harm's way;
we would go after all those who killed americans and bring them to justice

International coalition: liberated Libya in 2 weeks, cheaply, got rid of a despot. Got friendship of Benghazi

to Mitt: Your strategy has been all over the map.

Mitt: My strategy straightforward, to go after bad guys, kill them...pathway to get Muslim world to reject extremism on its own. Help the Muslim world, Arab scholars (@UN) recommend economic development, better education, gender equality, the rule of law.

Over the past few years, rising tide of chaos.


Mitt's lookin' good.

[Elspeth]

/Obama: Mitt, you said Russia was the biggest threat, not Middle East. Social policies in 1950s. You think more troops should be in Iraq right now. You said we should not be passing nuclear treaties with Russia, Flipflop on timeline with Afghanistan.

What we need to do is "strong steady leadership"

Barry seems a little stilted in his speech.

Bob lets Mitt respond.

Mitt: Barry is wrong. ATtacking me is not an agenda. We need to stem the tide of this violence.

Russia is a geopolitical foe; Iran is the greatest national security threat we face. Russia fights us at the UN.

Ooooo.. Refers to Status of Forces Agreement and to OBama telling Putin he would have more flexibility after the election.

Mitt DOMINATING Barry.

[Elspeth]

Barry: You have to be clear about what you stand and what you mean.

Gives what he will do. Mentions Israel's security.

We can't continue to do nation building in these regions but at home.

[djones520]

Ok, I changed my mind. Watching this. My jaw just dropped at the actual hard question that the moderator just threw at Obama.

[Elspeth]

Schieffer: Syria

To Barry: It's been over a year. SHould we reassess policy in Syria? Is that possible?

Barry: We have organized int't community. Have said assad must go, Provided humanitarian assistance.
\
Israel again!

Someone must have coached him to mention Israel a lot.

Situation in Syria is heartbreaking.

He is confident Assad's days are numbered, but don't give heavy weapons to opposition.

Mitt: 30K people being killed by their gov't
An opportunity for us; syria IRan's only ally--Ah, he mentions Israel

Replacement govt must be responsible and no military. We must get our allies, decide who should take over and get arms over there and make sure the arms get into the right hands.

DRINK every time one or the other mentions Israel!

Not a huge difference here in policy except for the weapons.

Mitt: the president says let the UN; then to the Russians. WE SHOULD BE PLAYING THE LEADERSHIP ROLE.

Barry: We are playing the leadership role.

Goes back to Libya: we could immediately stop the massacre because of the coalition. We had to stop Gadaffi.

[Elspeth]

Ok, I changed my mind. Watching this. My jaw just dropped at the actual hard question that the moderator just threw at Obama.

Schieffer is asking substantive questions.

[Elspeth]

Mitt primarily objects to the fact that the US didn't take a leading role in Libya and syria.

Barry: Mitt doesn't have different ideas. We are doing what we should be doing.

[SarasotaRepub]

Whew!! Just got home a while ago! Has oBAMA been declared the winner yet????

[djones520]

Both are giving very strong, and I'll even say, very good answers so far.

[Novaheart]

Didn't Romney just say that Syria is Iran's "path to the sea"? I guess Iran forgot about the Persian Gulf.