US election debate: Candidates spar on foreign policy

By Jude Sheerin BBC News, Boca Raton, Florida

Romney and Obama have two weeks remaining before the 6 November election

US President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney have battled over national security, in the third and final presidential debate.

The rivals tangled over the Arab Spring, Iran, China's rise and more in a feisty 90-minute head-to-head.

Mr Obama said his challenger was "all over the map" on foreign policy, while Mr Romney said the president had failed to uphold American global leadership.

The two candidates are running neck and neck with two weeks until the election.

Mr Romney highlighted civilian deaths in Syria, the Muslim Brotherhood taking power in Egypt, the rise of al-Qaeda affiliates in North Africa, Iran's nuclear programme, and last month's Libya US consulate attack as examples of the "tumult" that the Obama administration had allowed to overtake the region.

"I congratulate him on taking out Osama bin Laden and taking on the leadership of al-Qaeda," the former Massachusetts governor said.

"But we can't kill our way out of this... We must have a comprehensive strategy."

But Mr Obama hit back.
The president said he was glad Mr Romney had recognised the threat posed by al-Qaeda, reminding him that he had earlier this year cast Russia as America's number one geopolitical foe.

debate. They're flooding the spin room already @BBCNewsUS

 

"Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy you seem to want the policies of the 1980s, just like you want to import the social policies of the 1950s and the economic policies in the 1920s," the president said.

Mr Obama said Mr Romney had backed the Iraq invasion, even though there were no weapons of mass destruction.

He also accused him of having advocated a continued troop presence in Iraq, opposing nuclear treaties with Russia, even when they had broad bipartisan backing, and of flip-flopping over whether the US should have a timeline for leaving Afghanistan.

"What we need to do with respect to the Middle East is strong, steady leadership, not wrong and reckless leadership that is all over the map," Mr Obama said. "And unfortunately, that's the kind of opinion that you've offered throughout this campaign."

Mr Romney hit back, accusing Mr Obama of going on an "apology tour" of the Middle East when he came into office, which he said had made America look weak, and of allowing Iran to get four years closer to a nuclear bomb.

But the president said the claim about an apology tour was "the biggest whopper told during the campaign" and insisted that he would defend Israel from Iran.

Though the debate was supposed to focus on foreign policy, both candidates pivoted frequently back to the looming issue of the US economy.

Mr Obama said that Mr Romney's plans would do little to lower the government budget deficit and that the US must reduce spending in a responsible way "while asking the wealthy to pay a little more".

Mr Romney said he knew what it took to create jobs and increase salaries, while Mr Obama was nine million jobs short of his pledge of 5.4% employment.

An NBC poll on Sunday put the men in a dead heat, each with 47% support.

Monday's debate at Lynn University was moderated by CBS News' veteran presenter Bob Schieffer.
A lacklustre performance by Mr Obama in the opening debate in Denver, Colorado, on 3 October gave Mr Romney a campaign boost.

Key moments from the town-hall-style debate in New York

But in their second face-off in New York last week, a more aggressive Barack Obama buried the memory of a poor first showing as he came out swinging on the economy, tax and foreign policy.
After Monday night's showdown, both candidates will be returning to the campaign trail for a gruelling final two weeks of wooing voters in swing states.

Because the presidency is decided through state-by-state contests, campaigns are focused on the nine or so states that are not essentially decided.

Certain states, such as Ohio, Virginia and Florida - where the key issues for voters remains the economy and jobs - are seen as particularly essential to both candidates' hopes of winning.

The system can lead to a candidate winning the popular vote but losing the presidency, as former Vice-president Al Gore did in 2000.